Trump names the reasons for the Republicans' defeat in the midterm elections

Trump blamed the war and gasoline prices for the election outcome

US President Donald Trump in an interview on CBS News' 60 Minutes program named the main reasons why Republicans suffered a sweeping defeat in the midterm elections held last week: according to him, these were a 'great dislike' of Israel, public discontent with the war with Iran, and rising gasoline prices. 'They didn't like the war. They didn't like that gasoline got more expensive,' he said, adding that 'there is, incredibly, a dislike of Israel.'

Assessment of the war and further plans

While acknowledging the political costs of the war, Trump nevertheless defended his decision to attack Iran, saying he would do it again: 'Absolutely yes, because Iran cannot be allowed to acquire nuclear weapons.' He also claims that the US won the war and that Tehran was interested in an agreement: 'We would have made a deal if not for these elections,' he said, linking the complications in the negotiations to the Democrats' victory. Asked whether he intends to escalate the conflict after the elections, Trump replied that he is not seeking further escalation: 'I'm not looking to do that. I don't think there's a reason for it.' He also repeated his earlier claim that without the American strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities, Israel would not exist.

Political consequences

According to CBS News, in the elections this past Tuesday the Democrats won control of both chambers of Congress — the House of Representatives and the Senate — dealing a serious blow to the Trump administration. The president's statements are notable because he publicly acknowledged the political price of the war with Iran, while at the same time confirming his readiness to repeat that decision and indicating that, in his view, the negotiations with Tehran were derailed precisely by the election results.