Overview
- Democrats were projected to win control of both the House and the Senate after vote shifts in multiple toss-up races on Tuesday night into early Wednesday.
- President Trump spent Election Night on Truth Social and in calls with reporters and Fox News blaming the network’s polling, poor candidate quality and the Iran war for GOP losses while Fox anchor Bret Baier pushed back on air.
- Within hours Trump’s senior aides and allied commentators began searching for scapegoats, privately and publicly naming figures such as Susie Wiles, James Blair and War Secretary Pete Hegseth and discussing possible personnel changes.
- Reporting and exit polling pointed to higher gas prices and voter anger over the administration’s Iran war as a central factor in the Democratic sweep and created a clear path for incoming committees to subpoena Pentagon officials and advisers.
- Trump said he will use his veto power aggressively but also described conversations with some Democrats, setting the stage for months of vetoes, legislative fights and intensified oversight when committees flip in January.