Politics

Trump Defends Iran Strike Amid Midterm Losses

By Ahmed Diab

President Donald Trump acknowledged that the United States’ attack on Iran and the resulting spike in gasoline prices contributed to Republican losses in the midterm elections, yet he maintained the action was justified. In a late‑night Fox News interview, Trump said, “We actually have the greatest economy, but because of the gasoline price, people don’t see it as much as they would have without it. And the gasoline was caused by Iran.” He added that many people agree with his Iran policy but were unwilling to accept the short‑term cost of higher fuel prices.

Speaking to The Wall Street Journal about the party’s defeats, Trump said, “I did the right thing. I would have done it again.” Vice President J.D. Vance, a potential 2028 presidential candidate, disagreed, tweeting that the war was the reason for the losses and urging a candid discussion about its cost.

Republican strategist James Davis told Al Jazeera that the war helped shift voters toward Democrats and that the party’s failure to articulate a clear strategy also played a role. He noted that higher energy and diesel costs had affected the economy and raised concerns about affordability.

Trump blamed the absence of his name on the ballot for the party’s difficulty mobilizing voters. “I wasn’t on the ticket, and because I wasn’t on the ticket, we couldn’t get enough people out to vote,” he told The New York Times. He also criticized some of the candidates he had endorsed, saying they had flaws that turned voters away.

The former president commented on the defeat of Texas Governor Greg Abbott, calling him a “Republican in name only” and suggesting that if Abbott had not become a RINO in the last six months, he would not have lost. He posted a photo of his red cap with the word “veto” on Truth Social to signal his intent to block legislation from the incoming Democratic‑controlled Congress.

Trump said he would not change his cabinet after the election results and that he would work with Democrats when possible, but would stand firm on issues he deemed non‑negotiable. He added, “Could I work with them on transgender mutilization of children? No, I don’t think so. But I could work with them on many things.”