WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump over the weekend promoted social media posts casting doubt on the legitimacy of Tuesday’s midterm elections, reversing his initial stance after Democrats captured control of both houses of Congress.
On Saturday, Trump reposted several messages on his Truth Social platform that pointed to sharp shifts toward Democrats across multiple states as suspicious, Democracy Docket reported. The online claims cited selective voting statistics, questioned Democratic candidate James Talarico’s victory against Republican Ken Paxton in the Texas Senate race, and demanded hand counts of paper ballots. None of the circulated posts offered evidence of election fraud or irregularities, according to Democracy Docket.
The online activity contrasted with Trump’s election night remarks to The New York Times, when he said he was “absolutely willing” to accept the vote tallies. Democratic candidates flipped at least seven Senate seats and more than two dozen House districts across the country, Fox News reported, securing majorities in both congressional chambers for the final two years of Trump’s term.
Vance Points to War and Gas Prices
Trump’s promotion of voter fraud claims came alongside conflicting explanations inside the administration over why Republicans suffered extensive defeats. In a CBS “60 Minutes” interview broadcast Sunday, Trump said he did not disagree with Vice President JD Vance’s public analysis attributing the election outcome to the administration’s war with Iran, escalating consumer prices, and diplomatic tensions.
Vance wrote on social media platform X earlier in the week that “the reason we lost is the war” and acknowledged that many voters who backed the Republican ticket two years ago supported Democrats this year. Vance characterized the congressional defeats as a “worthwhile cost to pay” to prevent Tehran from acquiring a nuclear weapon, Fox News reported.
Trump told “60 Minutes” that Vance had consulted him before posting the statement and that the national security imperative outweighed the electoral damage.
“I think, historically, this will be a very good decision. Is it a good decision for today and tomorrow? Maybe not,” Trump said of striking Iran. He argued that allowing Tehran to obtain a nuclear weapon would have triggered even harsher criticism.
Ballroom Event and Looming Divided Government
Before his television interview aired, Trump held his first public event since the midterms at the White House to celebrate progress on a massive new ballroom. Standing beside hardhat-wearing laborers and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, Trump inscribed his signature on the structure’s final steel beam, CBS News reported.
During the event, Trump told reporters he considered the military action in Iran a major reason for the midterm outcome because fuel prices surged afterward. He downplayed worries about governing with an opposition Congress, stating that Democrats had reached out to talk and noting, “I have the power of the veto.”
Trump also rebuffed suggestions that he intended to dismiss Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, asserting that the Pentagon chief has performed well.
How the White House intends to handle the new Democratic majorities remains uncertain, as official certifications continue and leaders prepare for committee handovers and legislative confrontations early next year.
