Trump admits: Iran war and anger over Israel behind Republican defeat - Sarmad

U.S. President Donald Trump acknowledged that voters were dissatisfied with the war with Iran, rising gas prices, and Israel.

In an interview with CBS’s “60 Minutes,” he emphasized that there was also “great resentment” toward Israel, commenting on the reasons for the Republicans’ losses in the midterm elections. He said, “There is, surprisingly, intense hatred for Israel” among voters.

In response to a question about his vice president, J.D. Vance’s statement that “the reason for the loss was the war,” referring to the conflict with Iran, Trump replied, “I don’t disagree with him on that.”

Trump defended the decision to go to war, stating that it would be viewed as “a very correct decision” from a historical perspective, though it might not be good for today or tomorrow. He added that if Iran had possessed a nuclear weapon during his term, he would have faced much harsher criticism.

Trump said that if his name had been on the ballot, the situation would have been completely different, pointing to the genuine popularity and affection he had witnessed. He argued that the massive rallies he organized should have translated into support for candidates whom voters did not necessarily like. Regarding Texas, he said Senator John Cornyn “would have lost as well.” He attributed the defeat to “poor messaging” and noted that the press was not covering positive news about Republicans, such as the stock market reaching record highs.

Trump described the immigration file as a “double-edged sword,” as it helped him in some ways but harmed him in others, because the administration deported individuals who held good jobs and some of whom paid taxes. He said deporting an efficient hotel worker was “cruel,” while noting that some described as being on the far right wanted to deport everyone.

Trump affirmed that he could work with Democrats without insulting them, and said he could not imagine them attempting to impeach him again, referring to “the best two years in presidential history.”

Regarding his administration, he said he liked its members but “might make some changes.” In response to a question about Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, he said he trusted him, noting, “We won two wars.”

Following the elections, Vance had blamed the war with Iran for the defeat and outlined steps to win back voters: ending the war with Iran, focusing on the cost of living and inflation, advancing “America First,” and changing the U.S. relationship with Israel. He said the president himself acknowledged that the war was the cause of the loss.

In election-night interviews, Trump told the Wall Street Journal that Iran “was part of” the loss, citing rising oil prices, but added that he had done the right thing and would repeat it. According to i24NEWS, in a Fox News interview, he focused more on fuel prices, saying that while people supported what he was doing in Iran, they had not accepted its short-term costs. Democrats had achieved surprises in Texas, Kansas, and South Carolina.

Meanwhile, in Israel, the United States and Israel launched an attack on Iran on February 28, and navigation in the Strait of Hormuz remains highly disrupted amid a U.S. naval blockade of Iran. Last June, Trump said in an interview that he had become “frustrated” with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over his handling of the war.