Trump Acknowledges Iran War and Higher Gas Prices Contributed to Republican Midterm Losses

President Donald Trump acknowledged in election-night interviews that the war with Iran and the resulting higher gasoline prices contributed to Republican losses in the November 3 midterm elections.

In a telephone interview with Fox News, Trump stated, “I think a part of it was Iran, but at the same time people understood the importance of what I’ve done with Iran.” He added that voters agreed with his approach on Iran “but they really probably weren’t willing to do the short-term consequence of paying more for gasoline. I understand that; I don’t agree with that.”

Speaking separately to The Wall Street Journal, Trump said “Iran was a piece of it” when asked about the role of the conflict in the poor GOP performance. He maintained he did not regret launching the military campaign earlier in 2026 and “would have done it again.” Administration officials and reporting have linked the conflict—centered on the Strait of Hormuz—to elevated oil and fuel prices that remained near record levels for an Election Day.

Trump offered limited praise to Democrats, saying “Congratulations to the Democrats. They did a good job,” while stating he did not view the outcome as “a hit on me.” He indicated Democrats would send legislation he considered “insane” and that he would veto it, adding that after a period of vetoes the parties would need to work together.

Democrats have won control of both the House and Senate, according to projections from the Associated Press and major networks, flipping multiple seats in states that had supported Trump by wide margins in 2024, including Texas, Ohio, Kansas, and others. Exit polling and voter surveys cited cost-of-living pressures and the Iran conflict among top concerns.

The president has previously described the naval blockade of Iranian ports as remaining in place and has rejected the idea of a nuclear-armed Iran. Limited U.S. defensive strikes on Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz occurred on November 3 in response to Iranian surface-to-air missile fire against American assets, according to officials.