Trump blames Israel dislike and Iran war for GOP midterm losses

President Donald Trump attributed the Republican Party's midterm election losses to voter dislike of Israel, the war with Iran, and rising gasoline prices, while insisting his personal popularity remained strong. He claimed Republican candidates failed to translate his support into votes. In a CBS "60 Minutes" interview, Trump said voters "didn't like the war" and cited "a great dislike, incredibly, for Israel" as primary factors. He defended the Iran military campaign as necessary to prevent Tehran from acquiring nuclear weapons, saying "you can't let Iran have a nuclear weapon." Trump also conceded his mass deportation policy was "too tough," acknowledged possible cabinet changes, and claimed Washington was close to a deal with Iran before the election. He declined to commit to endorsing Vice President JD Vance for 2028, praised Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and said he "hates" some political enemies.