Trump Allies Blame Iran War for Republican Midterm Defeat

Vice President JD Vance blamed the war on Iran for the Republican Party's sweeping defeat in Tuesday's midterm elections, in which Democrats won control of both chambers of the US Congress. Vance wrote on X that the war caused the loss, a view President Donald Trump called "largely true." Senator Ted Cruz also criticized the conflict, saying it "should have been brief, decisive, and over." Republicans are positioning for the 2028 presidential race, with the war costing US taxpayers an estimated $47 billion and triggering a global fuel crisis. Democrats plan to use congressional power to limit war funding and hold hearings. Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer said "this war must end," citing Congress's control of the purse. US forces struck Iran's Qeshm Island on election day, and further strikes were reportedly prepared, though Trump said he had no immediate plans for new attacks.