Donald Trump congratulated Democrats on Tuesday after their sweeping midterm victories, accepted the results and warned that he would use his veto power against Democratic legislation in the final two years of his presidency.
Democrats captured Congress in Tuesday’s elections, taking control of both the House of Representatives and the Senate and ending unified Republican control in Washington.
Trump told CBS News: “My message is congratulations to the Democrats, and I look forward to working with you for the good of our country.”
In a telephone interview with Fox News, Trump said: “Well, I say this: congratulations to the Democrats. They did a good job.”
Trump added that Democrats had been looking for the victory for 11 years and had finally secured it, but said: “But I don’t view it as a hit on me.”
Trump admitted the Iran war may have played a part in the Republican defeat, telling Fox News: “I think a part of it was Iran.”
At the same time, Trump refused to accept personal responsibility for the result and pointed to his absence from the ballot, saying on Truth Social that if he had been on the ballot, Republicans would have won in a landslide.
Trump also warned Democrats that he would block legislation he opposed, saying: “They can send over, you know, 50 different great bills that they’re all excited about, and I send them back with a nice stamp — ‘veto.'”
Trump told The New York Times he was absolutely willing to accept the results and said he would work with Democrats, naming the debt ceiling as one possible area of cooperation.
Media projections gave Democrats control of both chambers after the party flipped Republican-held Senate seats in Texas, South Carolina, Kansas, Iowa, Ohio, Maine and North Carolina, according to multiple outlets.
Republicans had held the House since the 2022 midterms, and Democrats needed only a net gain of five seats to retake the chamber, according to the Associated Press count cited by Al Jazeera.
The Democratic takeover leaves Hakeem Jeffries, the House Democratic leader, poised to become speaker when the new Congress is sworn in, according to multiple reports.
Trump told the Times he had total veto power and said Democrats would have to come to his side to get legislation passed, a position that sets up a divided government for his final two years in office.
Confirmed so far is the Democratic control of both chambers and Trump’s stated willingness to work with Democrats alongside his veto warning; no joint legislative plan has been announced, and the new Congress is due to be sworn in on January 3, 2027.
