Washington Enters 'Clash Phase' Between White House and Congress

- Trump congratulates Democrats on their victory but does not view the result as a blow to him... and will turn into a “political analyst”

- Vance attributes the defeat to the war

- Democratic control of Congress threatens the President’s agenda

- Schumer: Voters turned the red wall into a pile of bricks

The Democratic “blue wave” seized control of both the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives, achieving sweeping victories in Republican red strongholds for the first time in generations, in a move reflecting a firm rejection by tens of millions of voters of President Donald Trump’s policies. Trump acknowledged that the war with Iran played a role in the heavy losses, and in a rare gesture, he praised his Democratic opponents, yet he refused to accept any personal responsibility for the outcome.

However, the midterm election results will pave the way for a new phase of divided government in Washington after two years in which Congress, controlled by Republicans, rarely used its power to check Trump, who exerted strong dominance over the Republican Party for most of the past decade. The new balance of power in Washington could turn him into what is commonly known as a “lame duck” president, or curtail his actual authority, as attention shifts to the 2028 presidential race and potential successors begin competing for influence in preparation for the post-Trump era.

Voters in conservative strongholds, which had propelled the president to a second term just two years ago, have decisively shifted toward the Democrats, driven by strong resentment over the war, concerns about rising living costs, and anger at Trump’s management style, as he sought to blame members of his own Republican Party.

“They pursued it for 11 years and finally achieved it. But I don’t view it as a blow aimed at me,” he added.

The president emphasized that, unlike his reaction when he lost the 2020 presidential election, he accepts the election results and is prepared to cooperate with the Democrats.

As polls show voters are resentful of the Iran war and the resulting rise in oil prices, Trump also acknowledged that the conflict indeed contributed to the outcome.

He explained, “I think it’s partly due to Iran, but at the same time, people understand the importance of what I did with Iran.”

For his part, Vice President J.D. Vance, whose potential candidacy for the White House in 2028 is being discussed, wrote in a very long post on the “X” platform that “the war is the reason for our defeat,” adding, “Everyone knows why we lost, and any frank discussion about the path we should take from now on must start here.”

The question remains how the president will interact over the next two years if he becomes a lame-duck president.

An official in the White House said, “Everyone who voted for the Democrats will deeply regret their choice when fuel prices drop rapidly once the Iran conflict is resolved, but they will still be stuck with a group of extreme liberal Democrats... Prepare for what’s coming.”

They won all House races, which saw fierce competition, and in about 12 races in districts Trump had won by double-digit margins two years ago.

Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said voters had turned “the red wall into a pile of bricks.”

House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries declared, “We will hold accountable those who dragged this country to unprecedented levels of corruption.”

Midterm elections are usually viewed as a referendum on the president’s performance.