US Vice President J.D. Vance said the war against Iran was the reason Republicans lost the midterm elections. He also questioned whether the war was worth losing control of the Senate, Reuters writes.
In a post on the social network X, Vance said the war with Iran was the reason Republicans lost.
"The reason we lost is the war," Vance wrote.
He also challenged supporters of continuing the fighting to explain why losing control of the Senate for the next six years was justified. In addition, Vance said earlier advice to end the war had been sound.
According to Reuters, the vice president’s remarks could complicate Trump’s decision on whether to resume large-scale military operations against Iran. Such a scenario, US officials say, is still under consideration.
At the same time, Vance’s comments raised questions about the political future of senior Pentagon officials, including Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth. He is already facing criticism in Congress, and some lawmakers are expected to initiate impeachment proceedings.
Read alsoDemocrats in the US House of Representatives promise to force Pete Hegseth to resign
In the midterm elections on Tuesday, 3 November, Democrats won control of both chambers of Congress — the Senate and the House of Representatives.
Read alsoRepublicans blame Trump for the party’s midterm defeat, BBC reports
The results were influenced by voters’ dissatisfaction with the war with Iran, concerns about the high cost of living, and criticism of Trump’s actions as president.
Vance himself sought to play down differences with Trump, saying the president had also acknowledged the war’s impact on the election results.
However, the White House chief’s assessment was more restrained: he called the conflict with Iran only one of several reasons for the Republicans’ defeat.
Trump said the war with Iran was worth the political losses Republicans suffered.
"We had to do it with Iran and we are continuing to do it," Donald Trump said, adding that the military operation was necessary to prevent Tehran from obtaining nuclear weapons.
He also noted that if he had to make the decision again, he would change nothing.
"I did the right thing. I would do it again," Trump said in an interview with The Wall Street Journal.
- According to preliminary results of the US midterm elections, Democrats for the first time in a long while won a majority in both chambers of Congress. As of 11 a.m. Kyiv time, Democrats hold 54 seats in the Senate to Republicans’ 42; in the House of Representatives, 225 to 135. Democrats also lead among governors: 25 posts are held by members of the party, compared with 20 Republicans.
- The new balance of power in Congress could significantly limit President Donald Trump’s ability to advance his own legislative agenda during the final two years of his term.