The key facts
- Republicans privately blamed Trump for a possible defeat before the election — Politico interviewed about a dozen candidates, campaign staffers and legislators
- Criticism was sparked by the war with Iran, trade tariffs and migration policy
- On November 3, Democrats took both chambers of Congress; the new Congress takes office in January 2027
Party sources spoke of discontent only off the record
Representatives of the US Republican Party, even before the midterm congressional elections, blamed President Donald Trump for a possible defeat, yet preferred to voice their discontent privately, fearing an open conflict with the head of state. This was reported by Politico, citing party sources; Life.ru covered the story. Journalists interviewed about a dozen candidates, campaign staffers and legislators: respondents acknowledged that Trump's political decisions had complicated the party's position during the campaign.
What exactly was cited as the causes
According to Politico, particular discontent was caused by the war with Iran, trade tariffs and the administration's migration policy. One Republican said that at the start of the year the party had hoped to overcome unfavorable historical trends, but after the president's decision to strike Iran the situation changed. 'At the beginning of this year there was a moment when we truly felt we could defy history,' the outlet's source admitted, adding that after Trump's decision to 'bomb Iran' problems began piling up one after another. The president's public appearances were also criticized: one respondent sarcastically called the discussion of singer Nicki Minaj's appearance an 'excellent closing message' to voters, hinting at a poor choice of topics on the eve of the vote.
The election result and what it changes
Earlier, Life.ru reported on the Democrats' victory in the November 3 midterms: the opposition party won a majority in the House of Representatives and the Senate, depriving Republicans of control over the legislative branch. The new Congress will take office in January 2027, and, as the outlet noted, the shift in the balance of power could complicate the implementation of the Trump administration's initiatives — the president will have to negotiate with political opponents. Information about sentiment within the Republican Party is based on anonymous party sources interviewed by Politico and remains their assessment rather than an officially confirmed position.
