Trump Accepts Democratic Midterm Wins While Warning of Vetoes
President Donald Trump said he was surprised by Democrats’ strong performance in the November 4 midterm elections, in which they took control of the House and Senate. He congratulated Democrats and said he would work with them, including on proposals he considers good for the country.
Trump also made clear that cooperation would have limits. He highlighted his power to veto legislation and posted an image of a red hat bearing the word “VETO.” He said Democrats could send bills to him, but he could reject them.
Asked to assess the Republican losses, Trump said he had expected the party to do better. He pointed to high gasoline prices linked to the war in Iran, saying voters may have opposed the short-term cost, and also faulted some Republican candidates. He did not single out candidates when asked whether some had underperformed.
Trump had campaigned for Republicans, urging voters to treat the races as if he were on the ballot. After the results, he claimed he would have won by a landslide if he had been a candidate. He also blamed Texas Gov. Greg Abbott for his defeat, accusing him of abandoning his political base.
Several candidates Trump backed also lost, including Ken Paxton in the Texas Senate race and Darline Graham in a South Carolina special election. Trump said he had learned from the results and would consider an immigration agreement with Democrats if he judged it appropriate. His comments paired an offer to work across party lines with a warning that he could block legislation he opposes.
Trump’s Veto Warning Puts Limits on His Offer to Work With Democrats
Democrats’ midterm victories handed them control of the House and Senate, but President Donald Trump’s response made clear that a new congressional majority will still face his veto pen. He indicated he would cooperate with Democrats on measures he believes are good for the country, while stressing that he could send their bills back.
Trump underscored that threat with a social media image of a red hat marked “VETO.” His message is a sharp limit on his promise of cooperation: Democrats may advance legislation, but the president says he can block it.
Trump said he was surprised by the results and had expected Republicans to perform better. He blamed high gasoline prices associated with the war in Iran and criticized some Republican candidates, though he declined to assign blame to particular contenders when asked.
He also claimed he would have won by a landslide if he had been on the ballot. That assertion came after he had urged voters to treat the midterms as a referendum on him. Several candidates he supported lost, including Ken Paxton in Texas and Darline Graham in South Carolina.
Trump said he would consider an immigration deal with Democrats if he believed it was appropriate. The next test will be whether his stated openness to negotiation leads to agreement—or whether his emphasis on vetoes defines the relationship with the newly empowered Congress.
Trump Blames Gas Costs and Candidates as Democrats Take Congress
President Donald Trump acknowledged Democrats’ sweeping midterm victory, but his post-election comments also pointed to the cost of gasoline and the quality of Republican candidates as reasons for the party’s losses. He said voters may have balked at fuel costs tied to the war in Iran, even if they supported his policy there.
Trump said he had expected Republicans to do better and argued that he would have won by a landslide if he had been on the ballot. He had spent the campaign urging supporters to vote as though he were running. Several candidates he endorsed lost, including Ken Paxton in Texas and Darline Graham in South Carolina.
He also blamed Texas Gov. Greg Abbott for his defeat, saying Abbott had strayed from his political base. Trump stopped short of naming other candidates he thought had failed, saying he did not want to blame anyone and had learned from the election.
The president said he was prepared to work with Democrats, including considering an immigration agreement if he judged it good for the country. But he stressed that cooperation does not mean accepting legislation he opposes: he highlighted his veto power and posted an image of a hat marked “VETO.”
With Democrats controlling both chambers, Trump’s approach leaves room for negotiation while preserving a firm check on their agenda. He said Democrats could send bills to him, but he could reject them.
Reported by New York Post, Breitbart, ABC News, Vox, Daily Mail US.
