Trump on the Iran war: it “largely” cost the midterms, but he would do it again; he says he is keeping Hegseth

Donald Trump admitted on Wednesday, November 4, that the war with Iran cost Republicans in the midterm elections, but argued that he would take the same decision again. Speaking to reporters in Washington, the US president called Vice President JD Vance’s assessment that the conflict was the reason for the defeat “largely correct”, because, he said, the war “raised gasoline a little for a short time”.

“You can’t let Iran get a nuclear weapon. You have no other choice,” he said. Trump claimed he had expected a much bigger rise in oil prices and proceeded on that assumption, warning that without action “everything you see here might not be here someday”. “We had to do that with Iran, and we keep doing it,” he added.

Vance’s post and Hegseth’s future

A few hours earlier Vance had gone a step further in a post on X: “The reason we lost is the war. The president himself said so last night.” The vice president challenged supporters of the war to prove it was worth losing the Senate for six years. On the night of Tuesday, November 3, Trump had attributed only part of the defeat to the war. At the start of the conflict he had said Vance was “maybe less enthusiastic” about the idea.

The president said he was “a little surprised” by the size of the defeat and accepted the result. Asked whether he is considering replacing War Secretary Pete Hegseth, he ruled it out: “No, I think he’s doing a very good job.” Earlier the same day CBS News had reported, citing several sources, that Trump was asking associates whether Hegseth should stay, with one source naming Florida Governor Ron DeSantis as a possible replacement. White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly said the president has “full confidence” in the secretary.

On the Democratic majority in Congress, Trump said he would get along with them, “unless they want to act destructively”, reminding them that he holds the veto. He also claimed Republicans would have won by a landslide had he been a candidate himself.

Majorities in both chambers for the Democrats

Democrats took the House of Representatives with at least 228 of 435 seats and gained seven Senate seats from Republicans, in Texas, Ohio, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, North Carolina and South Carolina, reaching at least 54 of 100. It is the first time in two decades that a Republican president has lost both chambers, the last precedent being George W. Bush in 2006. See our report on the Democratic win in the Senate.

Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said the war with Iran “must end”, and a similar message came from Hakeem Jeffries, who is expected to become House Speaker. From January the new majority will gain significant powers of oversight and appropriations. In a message, Mojtaba Khamenei warned that those expecting a change in Washington’s stance are making a “grave mistake”, while the US naval blockade around the Strait of Hormuz continues and negotiations with Tehran have brought no clear progress.