Donald Trump defends Iran conflict after Republicans lose Congress in midterms

Donald Trump has defended the military conflict with Iran as necessary despite acknowledging that it contributed to his party losing control of the United States Congress in the midterm elections.

Speaking to journalists on Wednesday, Trump insisted the military operation remained justified because it prevented Tehran from acquiring a nuclear weapon, Reuters reported. He maintained that he would not alter his decision to pursue the conflict, stating that the action was unavoidable and that efforts would continue.

The midterms resulted in substantial victories for Democratic candidates, following a notable jump in fuel costs driven by the fighting. Economic fallout, particularly the surge in gasoline prices, has been widely viewed as a decisive influence on voter sentiment against the administration.

Vice President JD Vance directly tied the political outcome to the foreign crisis in an online message on Wednesday, calling the conflict the primary cause of the defeat. Trump said he accepted Vance's assessment regarding the electoral damage, yet stood firmly by the strategic choice itself, declaring he would have acted no differently.

Trump also pointed to the limitations of his personal appeal in boosting local campaigns. He argued that the Republicans would have triumphed if his own name had appeared on the ballot, suggesting that the enthusiasm demonstrated by supporters attending his public events could not be successfully shifted to individual congressional hopefuls.

The remarks followed a campaign-closing appearance earlier in the week at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool in Washington, where Trump had campaigned on the eve of the vote while also defending controversial local renovation initiatives. The final ballot results, however, handed leadership of Congress back to the opposition.