US President Donald Trump has blamed Republican candidates for the party’s defeat in the November 3, 2026, midterm elections, claiming he would have secured a landslide victory if his name had been on the ballot.
Trump made the remarks on Tuesday after Democrats swept into control of both chambers of Congress, dealing his administration a major political setback.
In a post on his Truth Social platform, the president sought to distance himself from the Republican losses.
“I wasn’t on the ballot, and if I was, we would have won IN A LANDSLIDE! Thank you for your attention to this matter,” he wrote.
A White House official also criticised the performance of Republican candidates, arguing that their individual campaigns contributed to the party’s poor showing.
“Candidate quality matters, and President Trump did a better job promoting many of the candidates on the ballot than the candidates did themselves,” the official said.
Trump also targeted Texas Governor Greg Abbott, claiming he lost because he had become a “RINO”, a term used by some Republicans to describe members they consider insufficiently conservative.
However, Trump later adopted a more conciliatory tone during an interview with The New York Times, saying he was prepared to accept the election results and work with Democrats.
“I am absolutely willing to accept those results. We’ll work with the Democrats, and we’ll, you know, look forward to working with them,” he said.
Despite the remarks, the president appeared to signal possible resistance to legislation from the incoming Democratic-controlled Congress by posting a picture of his trademark red MAGA hat alongside the word “VETO”.
As Republican losses mounted, White House officials indicated that Trump would maintain a firm approach to his political opponents and foreign policy during the final two years of his presidency.
A White House official also defended the administration’s position on the war in Iran, warning that voters who opposed the conflict could regret their decision when petrol prices eventually fall.
“Regardless of how today plays out, President Trump’s resolve to stop the Radical Left is only going to become stronger. Buckle up,” the official said.
The Democratic victories mean Trump will face an opposition-controlled Congress for the remainder of his term, raising the possibility of legislative disputes and increased scrutiny of his administration.
