"Like a Funeral," Trump Lays Blame as Midterms End in Defeat

On the night of November 3 (local time), as the U.S. midterm elections concluded with a crushing defeat for the ruling Republican Party, U.S. President Donald Trump spent a gloomy night lashing out at aides and shifting blame on social media.

According to the U.S. daily The New York Times (NYT), President Trump watched the election returns that evening in the East Room of the White House alongside top confidants, including Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Attorney General Todd Blanche, and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick.

Some attendees described the atmosphere to the NYT using phrases such as "gloomy" and "like a funeral."

Several individuals began leaving before 10:00 p.m.

Other pro-Trump figures told the NYT on condition of anonymity that they were glad they were not in Washington, D.C., on election night.

According to the NYT, President Trump spent the evening venting his frustration at political aides, accusing them of providing him with misinformation regarding opinion polls ahead of the election.

Reporting these accounts from individuals who requested anonymity, the NYT noted that it was unclear what President Trump meant by the remarks, pointing out that "Trump's aides have publicly stated that conditions were difficult for Republicans."

However, a White House official claimed that it was not true that President Trump had snapped at his aides.


As the vote counting pointed to a heavy defeat on the night of November 3, President Trump made a series of blame-shifting posts on Truth Social, the social media platform he founded.

He wrote, "My name was not on the ballot, and if it had been, we would have won by a landslide!"

Regarding Texas Governor Greg Abbott, a Republican who failed in his bid for a fourth term, President Trump claimed that Abbott's loss was due to choosing a moderate path, writing, "If he hadn't become a RINO (Republican in Name Only) during the last six months of his political life, he wouldn't have lost."

He continued, "I am going to act as a political commentator on both the good and the bad sides of why these candidates won and lost."

Expressing frustration that Fox News has featured Democratic figures such as former New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio—who has been a vocal critic of Trump—he claimed, "Fox News is responsible for the defeat by constantly and consistently putting Democratic opposition figures and even worse individuals on the air."

He also argued that Fox News suffered from low viewership due to featuring many Democratic figures.

Fox News is known as a conservative outlet with a distinctly pro-Republican tint.

In an interview with the NYT at around 10:30 p.m. that night, President Trump stated, "I am entirely willing to accept the results [of the midterms]. We will work with Democrats, and we look forward to working with them."

However, at around 11:40 p.m., he posted a photo on Truth Social of a baseball cap with the word "VETO" written in white capital letters against a red background.

Although no separate explanation was attached, it is interpreted as hinting that he could exercise his veto power against bills passed by a Democrat-controlled federal legislature.

As public sentiment worsened due to high inflation stemming from the war in Iran and midterm forecasts turned unfavorable for the Republicans, President Trump has repeatedly distanced himself from the party and tried to shift responsibility onto them.

(Photo: Capture of U.S. President Trump's Truth Social post, AP, Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.