President Trump said Republicans would have won Tuesday's midterm elections had he been on the ballot, as Democrats flipped Republican-held Senate seats, made gains in the House and took governorships in three states.
In a post on Truth Social on Tuesday night, as a blue wave began to take shape, the president wrote: "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." In a separate post he said he was "going to become a Political Pundit, both good and bad, on the reasons these Candidates won and lost!"
The posts followed a night in which Democrats flipped several Republican-held Senate seats, with wins by James Talarico in Texas, Annie Andrews in South Carolina, Sherrod Brown in Ohio and former Gov. Roy Cooper in North Carolina. According to Axios, those victories bring Democrats closer to reclaiming control of the chamber, provided they hold their existing seats. Democrats also flipped six Republican-held House seats in key battleground races and moved closer to a majority, per AP, and flipped the governorships in Georgia, Texas and Iowa.
Trump had posted on social media before major races were called. He told the New York Times he was “absolutely willing to accept” the results. “We'll work with the Democrats, and we'll, you know, look forward to working with them,” he said. “We'll probably work something out.”
He also told Politico he had spoken with Democratic leaders around 11pm ET and was eager to strike deals with them rather than spend his final two years in office vetoing legislation. About an hour later, Trump posted a hat with the word veto on it.
Analysis
Why This Matters
- Control of the Senate and House is still being decided, and the president's public position on the results will shape whether the outcome is accepted or contested.
- Trump's remarks to the New York Times and Politico point to deal-making in his remaining two years, while his subsequent "veto" post signals a possible confrontational turn.
- A Democratic majority in either chamber would change what the president can legislate, not just what he can veto.
Background
US midterm elections fall at the midpoint of a presidential term, and the party holding the White House typically loses seats in Congress and in statehouses. This year's results, with Democratic flips in the Senate, the House and three governorships, follow that pattern. Trump is serving his second term, which the source describes as having two years left to run.
Key Perspectives
- Donald Trump: said Republicans would have won "IN A LANDSLIDE" had he been on the ballot, and that he was "absolutely willing to accept" the results and would "probably work something out" with Democrats.
What to Watch
- Whether remaining races are called and whether the Senate and House majorities are confirmed, since several Democratic flips only bring the party closer to control.
- Whether Trump pursues the cooperation he described to the New York Times and Politico or the veto strategy his later post implied.
- How Democratic leaders respond to his stated willingness to strike deals.
Checked
12 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 12 supported.
Show each claim
- SupportedTrump said Republicans would have won the midterms if he had been on the ballot.Axios: “President Trump said Republicans would have won Tuesday's midterm elections had he been on the ballot.”
- SupportedTrump told the New York Times he was “absolutely willing to accept” the results.Axios: “Trump also told the New York Times he is "absolutely willing to accept" the results.”
- SupportedTrump wrote on Truth Social, “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.”Axios: “"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 in a post on Truth Social on Tuesday night.”
- SupportedTrump said he was “going to become a Political Pundit, both good and bad, on the reasons these Candidates won and lost!”Axios: “In a separate post, he said he was "going to become a Political Pundit, both good and bad, on the reasons these Candidates won and lost!"”
- SupportedDemocrats flipped several Republican-held Senate seats.Axios: “Democrats have flipped several Republican-held Senate seats, with wins by James Talarico in Texas, Annie Andrews in South Carolina, Sherrod Brown in Ohio and former Gov. Roy Cooper in North Carolina.”
- SupportedJames Talarico won in Texas.Axios: “wins by James Talarico in Texas”
- SupportedAnnie Andrews won in South Carolina.Axios: “Annie Andrews in South Carolina”
- SupportedSherrod Brown won in Ohio.Axios: “Sherrod Brown in Ohio”
- SupportedFormer Gov. Roy Cooper won in North Carolina.Axios: “former Gov. Roy Cooper in North Carolina”
- SupportedDemocrats flipped six Republican-held House seats in key battleground races.Axios: “Democrats have also made major gains in the House, flipping six Republican-held seats in key battleground races and moving closer to a majority, per AP.”
- SupportedDemocrats flipped the governorships in Georgia, Texas and Iowa.Axios: “Democrats have even flipped the governorships in Georgia , Texas and Iowa.”
- SupportedTrump said, “We'll work with the Democrats, and we'll, you know, look forward to working with them,” and “We'll probably work something out.”Axios: “"We'll work with the Democrats, and we'll, you know, look forward to working with them," he said. "We'll probably work something out."”