Vice President JD Vance has blamed the Iran war for the Republicans’ sweeping losses in the midterm elections, publicly highlighting a divide with President Donald Trump as he looks toward the 2028 presidential race. In a lengthy post on X, Vance said any discussion of the party’s next steps had to start with understanding why it lost.
Trump, asked about Vance’s comments, said he thought the analysis was largely right. But he defended his decision to start the war, saying he would not have acted differently because the goal was to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.
Vance also challenged supporters to argue that the war was worth the political cost, including losing control of the Senate for six years. Republicans lost their majorities in both the House of Representatives and the Senate, making it harder for Trump to govern during the final two years of his term.
A large voter poll cited in the report found that dissatisfaction with Trump’s policies was a key factor in the defeat. Rising fuel prices linked to the Iran war were singled out as a particular source of discontent.
Sources: Handelsblatt.