President Trump pointed to the war in Iran, higher gasoline prices and dissatisfaction with Republican candidates as reasons for his party's midterm election losses in an interview with Ross Douthat published Nov. 8. He defended his administration's economic record and said he would make the same decision to attack Iran again, despite the political consequences.
Trump argued that his personal support had failed to translate into votes for other Republicans. He said large crowds attended his campaign rallies, but suggested some supporters stayed home or disliked the candidates running. Douthat challenged that explanation, noting that Trump had endorsed candidates including Ken Paxton in Texas and Darline Graham in South Carolina. Trump defended those endorsements and said his involvement had helped other Republican candidates win or narrow their deficits.
On the economy, Douthat pressed Trump to explain why voters remained dissatisfied despite strong employment figures and low unemployment. Trump attributed the gap to ineffective messaging and what he described as a lack of favorable press coverage. He acknowledged that his own communication might have contributed, while maintaining that he had repeatedly highlighted economic gains during the campaign.
Trump cited stock market performance, retirement account balances and factory construction as evidence that his policies were working. He predicted Americans would recognize the benefits over the next several months. Douthat countered that not everyone had a substantial retirement account and pointed to wages, gasoline prices and everyday expenses as concerns shaping voters' views.
The discussion also addressed a social media post by Vice President JD Vance that blamed the Republican defeat on the Iran war. Trump said Vance had consulted him before writing it and that he had encouraged the vice president to express his views. He broadly accepted the assessment but said it left unanswered whether attacking Iran had been the right decision.
Trump said his answer to that question remained yes, arguing that preventing Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon justified the action. He claimed the war had been won and that Iran wanted an agreement. He also asserted that the election result had given Iran renewed hope and interrupted progress toward a deal, while predicting an agreement would still be reached.
Asked whether he would escalate the conflict following the midterms, Trump said he was not seeking to do so and saw no reason for it. When Douthat raised the issue of remaining Iranian nuclear material, Trump maintained that it was buried beneath thousands of tons of rock.
