Trump ties midterm defeat to fuel costs amid Iran war

Midterm losses and fuel costs

US President Donald Trump on Wednesday attributed his party's defeat in the midterm elections to voter frustration over rising fuel costs linked to the war with Iran, acknowledging that Americans supported his policy toward Tehran but rejected the economic sacrifice. "People agree with what I'm doing on Iran, but they really probably weren't willing to do the short-term consequence of paying more for gasoline, and you know I understand that," Trump told Fox News in a telephone interview. He noted that gasoline prices had fallen as low as $1.85 per gallon in Iowa before military action against Iran began, adding that he believed costs would decrease again once the conflict stabilized.

Trump said he would be judged historically for having "done the right thing" regarding Iran despite the electoral consequences, describing the price increases as a temporary burden for long-term strategic gain. "I would say to people, it's a short-term problem, but for long-term gain," he added, suggesting that voters prioritized immediate economic relief over geopolitical objectives.

Democratic Congress and legislative clashes

The Republican president said he was "a little bit surprised" by the scope of the Democratic victories, which gave the opposition party control of both the Senate and the House of Representatives according to US media projections. Trump indicated he would veto legislation he deemed "insane" while remaining open to cooperation on immigration reform, though he drew a firm line against what he characterized as "open border" policies. He separately told Politico that while he retains constitutional veto authority, he prefers working with lawmakers rather than spending his remaining two years in office blocking bills.

Israel aid termination

Trump defended his decision to end military assistance to Israel, stating that Washington provides $4 billion annually to a country that has "become quite rich" and no longer requires the support. "We give $4 billion a year to Israel, including weapons and other things, which is more than any other country, and people use that, and they don't need it," he said, adding that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu offered "very little opposition" to the move and had at one point suggested it himself. The assistance is currently governed by a 10-year memorandum of understanding signed under the Obama administration in 2016, which pledged $38 billion in military aid through 2028 including $3.3 billion annually in Foreign Military Financing grants and $500 million for missile defense.