Vice President JD Vance blamed the war with Iran for Republican losses in the Nov. 3 midterm elections, while President Donald Trump said the conflict had hurt the party but defended the military action as necessary to stop Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.
Vance wrote on social media Wednesday, Nov. 4, “The reason we lost is the war.” Trump said the assessment was “largely true,” pointing to the conflict’s effect on gasoline prices, but said he would make the same decision to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon, according to CBS News.
Vance cited other voter concerns
The vice president also referred to concerns beyond the war, including the cost of living, the administration’s “America First” priorities and the U.S. relationship with Israel. Trump’s agreement therefore acknowledged the conflict’s influence on the results, rather than endorsing it as the sole reason Republicans lost.
Democrats won control of both chambers of Congress, though some races were still being counted when the results were reported. The incoming Congress is scheduled to begin on Jan. 3, 2027, so the election outcome does not immediately change which party controls the legislature.
An Associated Press exit poll found that about six in 10 voters viewed the decision to take military action against Iran as wrong. Around one-third said the war was crucial to their vote, while roughly half cited the cost of living or corruption. The figures offer a broader view of voter concerns, but do not establish the cause of the Republican losses, The Associated Press reported.