Washington, Nov 2026 : US President Donald Trump has acknowledged that the military conflict with Iran contributed to the Republican Party's setbacks in Tuesday's elections, citing a surge in petrol prices and the political fallout of the war. However, he firmly defended his decision to launch military operations against Tehran, insisting that he would take the same step again if given another opportunity.
Speaking to reporters on Wednesday during a ceremony marking progress on the construction of a new ballroom at the White House, Trump was asked whether the war with Iran had contributed to the Republican Party's disappointing electoral performance.
"I think it's largely true," Trump said, acknowledging that the conflict had pushed petrol prices higher in the short term.
Despite recognising the political consequences, the US President maintained that preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons was more important than electoral considerations.
"If I had it to do again, I'd have to do it again," he said, reiterating that Iran could not be allowed to develop nuclear weapons.
When asked whether the military campaign had been worth the political cost, Trump responded affirmatively. He also claimed that he had anticipated a considerably sharper increase in global oil prices than what had actually occurred following the outbreak of hostilities.
Defending the military operation, Trump described it as a national security necessity and claimed that American strikes had significantly weakened Iran's military capabilities, including its Navy, Air Force and air defence systems.
He also claimed that oil shipments through the strategically important Strait of Hormuz had recovered and were now higher than before the war. However, he did not provide figures to substantiate the assertion.
The Strait of Hormuz is a critical international energy transit route, and any disruption to shipping through the waterway can have significant consequences for global oil supplies and prices.
Trump also addressed Vice-President JD Vance's assessment of the election results, particularly his remarks linking the conflict with Iran to the Republican Party's electoral performance.
A reporter referred to a lengthy social media post discussing the connection between the war and the election outcome. Trump acknowledged that he had anticipated the conflict would affect the party's prospects.
"I knew the war was going to impact it," he said, adding that he was aware of Vance's thinking and had approved of the post, describing it as "good."
Although Trump accepted that the military campaign had carried an electoral cost, he rejected suggestions that the election results would force him to reconsider his approach towards Iran.
Asked when the fighting could come to an end, Trump said the timing would depend on achieving the desired outcome. "It's got to be done right," he said, once again stressing that preventing Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons remained his priority.
The President also dismissed questions about whether his campaign appearances and rallies had been insufficient to secure victories for Republican candidates.
When asked whether he regretted the way the election campaign had concluded despite holding around 30 rallies, Trump simply replied, "No."
He argued that the outcome would have been different had his name appeared on the ballot.
"If I were on the ballot, we would have won," Trump said, pointing to the large crowds attending his campaign events as evidence of continued public enthusiasm for him.
However, he acknowledged that his personal popularity had not necessarily translated into electoral support for other Republican candidates.
"We weren't able to transfer the love to candidates," he said.
On the possibility of working with Democrats following the elections, Trump indicated that he was open to cooperation, provided the opposition did not adopt what he described as a destructive approach.
He said Democrats had already reached out to discuss various issues, while reminding them that he retained the presidential power to veto legislation he opposed.
Trump also brushed aside concerns about a possible impeachment initiative, arguing that pursuing impeachment without sufficient grounds would ultimately damage the Democratic Party.
The US midterm elections are held halfway through a President's four-year term and are widely viewed as a referendum on the incumbent administration's performance. All 435 seats in the House of Representatives and approximately one-third of the Senate seats are contested, alongside several state and local positions.
The Republican setbacks have highlighted the political challenges facing Trump's administration, particularly as the economic consequences and public response to its foreign policy decisions become increasingly significant electoral considerations.
(Disclaimer :The content of this article is sourced from a news agency and has not been edited by the Mavericknews30 team.)
