The key facts
- The US midterm congressional elections were held on November 3; according to media projections, Democrats are gaining control of both chambers
- Trump's circle links the Republicans' failure to the war against Iran
- Pete Hegseth, Admiral Brad Cooper, and General Dan Caine are named as possible 'scapegoats'
Who could be blamed for the defeat
Some of Donald Trump's aides expect the president to partially blame Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth for the Republicans' defeat in the midterm congressional elections. CBS correspondent Jennifer Jacobs reported this on X, as cited by Life.ru.,
The Iran campaign connection
According to Jacobs, the president's circle links the party's failure to the war against Iran and believes that without the conflict the election results could have been different. Besides Hegseth, among the possible 'culprits' she named CENTCOM commander Admiral Brad Cooper and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Caine — both, in her assessment, played a major role in conducting the military campaign.
Context: disagreements over Iran
Earlier, Life.ru, citing Axios, reported on disagreements within the Trump administration over further action against Iran: Hegseth and Secretary of State Marco Rubio were skeptical about the prospects of an agreement with Tehran, while Vice President JD Vance and special envoys advocated direct negotiations.
Election results
The midterm elections were held in the United States on November 3. According to American media projections, Democrats are gaining control of both chambers of Congress; the new composition will begin work in January 2027. Reports of a possible search for 'scapegoats' remain the journalist's assessments based on sources in the president's circle — the publications contain no official statements from the White House on the matter.
