Washington, DC [US], November 5 (ANI): US President Donald Trump on Wednesday (local time) agreed with Vice President JD Vance's assessment that the war with Iran contributed to the Republican Party's defeat in the 2026 US midterm elections, acknowledging that the conflict drove up gasoline prices in the short term but insisting that military action against Tehran was necessary to prevent it from acquiring nuclear weapons.
Responding to media questions about Vance attributing the party's electoral setback to the Iran war, Trump said the assessment was "largely true", while maintaining that he would make the same decision if given another opportunity.
"Well, I think it's largely true because it drove the gasoline up a little bit short-term, and probably that's uh probably it's true. But at the same time, if I had it to do again, I'd have to do it again because long-term, it's the only answer. You can't let Iran have a nuclear weapon," Trump said.
The US President also suggested that his personal popularity had not translated into electoral support for Republican candidates, claiming that the party failed to transfer the enthusiasm witnessed at his rallies to other candidates.
"If I were on the ballot, we would have won. You saw the people—they were packed, thousands and thousands of people were there... But you couldn't just transfer that love. There was such love at those rallies; it was incredible. We weren't able to transfer that love to the candidates," Trump said.
Reiterating his defence of the military campaign, the US President said Washington had no alternative but to act against Iran, despite the political and economic consequences of the conflict.
"You have no choice. I mean, I thought the oil would go up a lot more, and I did it on that basis. You have no choice. You have to do it. You can't let Iran have a nuclear weapon," he said.
Trump also argued that the increase in fuel prices, rather than the war itself, was the primary factor behind voter dissatisfaction, pointing to the resumption of oil flows through the strategically important Strait of Hormuz.
"We have tremendous oil flowing out of the Hormuz right now. At the beginning, there was none. And probably that's the primary reason, the price, not the war, the price," he said.
The President further indicated that he was willing to work with Democrats following their strong performance in the midterm elections, but warned that he would use his veto power if he disagreed with their legislative agenda.
Asked about the possibility of Democrats pursuing impeachment proceedings against him, Trump dismissed the prospect, saying such an initiative would damage the Democratic Party.
"I think it would destroy the Democratic Party if they did that. Because impeachment for no reason. What? For having a successful country? Our country is more successful now than at any time in its history," he said.
Trump made the remarks while signing the final steel beam for the White House Ballroom, adding his name alongside the signatures of workers involved in the construction project.
Earlier, Vice President JD Vance had directly attributed the Republican Party's sweeping midterm defeat to the war with Iran, arguing that voter dissatisfaction over the conflict had prompted a significant number of supporters who backed the Trump-Vance ticket in 2024 to vote for Democratic candidates in 2026.
In a lengthy post on X, Vance rejected arguments that inadequate Republican voter turnout was primarily responsible for the defeat, saying internal polling indicated that many former supporters had switched sides.
"The real reason we lost is obvious to almost everyone... The reason we lost is the war. The president himself said so last night," Vance wrote.
Citing internal polling, Vance identified four major concerns among voters who had abandoned the Republican Party: ending the war, addressing the cost of living and inflation, prioritising an 'America First' agenda, and changing the country's relationship with Israel.
He also defended calls for a diplomatic resolution to the conflict, saying that criticism of the administration's approach reflected the concerns of Republican voters.
Vance urged party members to acknowledge the reasons behind the electoral setback rather than shift blame to other factors, calling on supporters to channel their frustration into electing Republicans who shared their America First outlook.
This comes amid a broader Democratic resurgence in the 2026 midterm elections, with US networks projecting that the party will reclaim control of both chambers of Congress, significantly shifting the balance of power in Washington.
A Democratic majority in the House would allow the party to intensify congressional scrutiny of President Donald Trump's administration through investigations and hearings. Control of the Senate would also give Democrats greater influence over legislation and presidential nominations. (ANI)
"Largely true": Trump says Iran war led to loss after Vance comments; reiterates Iran can't have nuclear weapon
