04.11.2026 11:30
After Republicans lost their majority in Congress in the US midterm elections, President Donald Trump admitted for the first time that the Iran war had negatively affected the election results. Speaking to Fox News, Trump said that rising gasoline prices due to the war played a role in voter reaction. Continuing to defend his decision to go to war, Trump sent a veto message to the Democrats, who gained power in Congress.
Republicans suffering heavy losses in the midterm elections held in the US on November 3 reopened Trump's foreign policy choices to debate. Trump said the war against Iran negatively affected the performance of Republican candidates.
"VOTERS DID NOT WANT TO PAY GASOLINE PRICES"
In an interview with Fox News, Trump argued that the American people supported his Iran policy. However, he stated that fuel prices rising due to the war constituted a significant problem for voters. According to Trump, voters were not willing to pay higher gasoline prices in the short term for a long-term gain.
NOT REGRETTING THE WAR DECISION
Acknowledging its effect on the election defeat, Trump continued to defend military operations against Iran. In an interview with Fox News again on September 10, Trump had responded negatively to the question of whether he regretted the Iran war. Trump, who said he would make the same decision again if the same conditions arose, was reminded at the time that the war could harm Republicans in the midterm elections.
HOW DID THE WAR AFFECT AMERICAN VOTERS?
The attacks launched by the US and Israel against Iran on February 28, 2026 led to a large-scale military escalation in the Middle East. The impact of the conflicts on energy markets was reflected in the US economy, especially through oil and fuel prices.
According to a Reuters/Ipsos poll conducted at the end of August, 31 percent of Americans supported the Iran war, while 63 percent opposed it. Although the election losses cannot be explained solely by the Iran war, the economic pressure and public reaction created by the war stood out among the problems Republicans faced.
VETO MESSAGE TO DEMOCRATS
In the interview, Trump also touched on how his relations with Congress would take shape after the election. Stating that he would veto some bills that Democrats would accept, Trump signaled that there could initially be a harsh political struggle. Arguing that after a few months of disagreement Democrats might turn to negotiation, Trump said the two sides could work together.
WILL IRAN POLICY CHANGE?
Although Trump accepted the political cost of the war, he made no statement that he had abandoned his military strategy. The US President continues to defend the goal of limiting Iran's nuclear capacity. Meanwhile, with Democrats' increased power in Congress, more intensive oversight is expected over the cost of the war, the financing of military operations, and the administration's foreign policy decisions.