U.S. President Donald Trump is facing pressure from within his own party to change direction after sweeping midterm defeats that handed Democrats control of Congress, according to a report by الشرق الأوسط. Voters also rejected candidates Trump had personally backed in key races.
With two years left in his presidency, allies and strategists are calling for a major shake-up of the White House staff, a return to discipline, and a retreat from the policies they blame for the losses — among them the war with Iran and tariffs. The report was published Thursday.
Veteran Republican strategist John Feehery described the results to الشرق الأوسط as a "huge catastrophe" for Trump. "He has to do a wholesale purge," Feehery said. "Every day from now on, his position will get weaker and weaker."
Why it matters
Democrats will now have the power to block Trump's legislation, investigate his administration's conduct, and challenge his nominees. According to الشرق الأوسط, that is expected to push a president already making heavy use of executive authority toward relying even more on measures he can take on his own.
Trump has given little indication that he sees the election result as a reason to change course. Speaking to Fox News late Tuesday, he said, "I don't consider it a blow aimed at me."
He will also have to decide whether to keep pressing an agenda that some Republicans fear has become a political liability — particularly for potential successors eyeing the White House in 2028.
A running mate puts distance
Vice President JD Vance, widely seen as Trump's likely political heir, appeared to create some separation from the president on Wednesday by blaming the war with Iran for the midterm losses, according to الشرق الأوسط. Strategists and party officials said such positions could become more common if Republicans conclude that Trump's long-standing hold on the party's voters is weakening.
A senior official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said top aides are bracing for staff departures and possible changes in the administration, along with investigations Democrats are expected to demand.
The official said internal polling had warned six weeks before the election that Republicans were heading for losses in both the House and Senate, but that Trump refused to change course on Iran despite warnings about the political consequences. "In the end, he didn't care about it at all. He refused to listen to anyone," the official said.
Trump acknowledged late Tuesday that the war, which began with Iran eight months ago, had hurt Republican candidates, but he defended his decision to enter the conflict.
Concerns beyond the war
Republican worries extend past the conflict. A Republican political consultant told الشرق الأوسط that in focus groups held on close Senate races in states such as Michigan and Iowa, anxiety among national Republican strategists mounted over the summer, with more Republican and independent voters voicing opposition to the president's focus on matters such as the White House ballroom and renovation work in Washington.
"If Trump spends the next two years talking about these same trivialities, we will suffer another crushing defeat in the next election," the consultant said.
Amid the fallout, Trump gathered journalists on Wednesday for a visit to the ballroom construction site and defended the time he has devoted to the project. The White House also struck a defiant tone, posting an image of Trump on social media with the message: "Alert to everyone: Trump is still your president."
Trump still holds substantial power. Reuters has previously reported that the White House spent months preparing executive measures on immigration, tariffs, housing and federal spending, which could allow him to advance parts of his agenda despite Democratic opposition.
What to watch: whether Republican departures from the White House materialize, and whether Vance and other potential 2028 contenders keep distancing themselves from the president.
