Donald Trump has responded after Democrats secured control of both the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate in the 2026 midterm elections, delivering a major political setback to the Republican president and potentially reshaping the final two years of his administration.
However, rather than accepting full responsibility for the disappointing results, Trump suggested that his absence from the ballot was a major reason Republicans failed to perform as expected.
In a post on his Truth Social platform, the president insisted that the outcome would have been very different if he had personally been running.
“I wasn’t on the Ballot and if I was, we would have won IN A LANDSLIDE!” Trump wrote.
Speaking to CBS News after the election results became clear, Trump said:
“I think I wasn’t on the ballot and there was nothing that could be done about that.”, maintaining that Republican candidates would have performed much better if he had been seeking votes himself.
Despite his criticism of the election outcome, Trump also offered congratulations to the Democratic Party, adopting a more conciliatory tone when discussing the possibility of working with its newly elected lawmakers.
“I know a lot of Democrats,” he said.
“I have total veto power and I’m sure we’ll be able to work things out.” he added.
“gonna want to work with me,” Trump explained, adding: “Otherwise I’d just veto everything and they’re not gonna want that.”
Although Trump repeatedly pointed to his absence from the ballot, he also questioned the performance and popularity of several Republican candidates who failed to secure victories.
During his CBS News interview, the president suggested that some candidates struggled because they did not have sufficient support from voters, including people within the Republican Party.
“In some cases they didn’t like the candidates, and in some cases those candidates were not my friend and the base knows that better than anybody,” Trump said.
“They stayed back. They didn’t have — I mean, it’s just, it’s sad in the sense that we would have won easily if I was on the ballot. But I wasn’t.” he added.
Major Democratic Victories Reshape the Senate Map
One of the most significant aspects of the election was the number of Senate seats Democrats managed to win in traditionally Republican states.
The party secured victories in several states where Republicans had maintained considerable political influence, including Texas, Kansas, South Carolina, Ohio, Maine and Iowa.
These results represent a substantial change in the balance of power in Washington. Democrats have regained control of the Senate and House of Representatives, returning to full control of Congress for the first time since 2023.
One of the most remarkable victories came in Kansas, where Democratic pastor Adam Hamilton won a Senate seat, becoming the first Democrat from the state to achieve that result in nearly a century.
Following the result, Hamilton said voters from different political backgrounds had come together because they wanted a different approach to leadership.
“I think the people in Kansas, Republicans, independents and Democrats are saying what’s happening in Washington is not OK,” he said.
Hamilton also suggested that frustration with political conflict and aggressive rhetoric had played an important role in his victory.
“I got elected because Kansans were saying, ‘We’re tired of the bullies. We’re tired of the chaos.’” he added.
Another major upset came in Texas, where Democrat James Talarico defeated Republican Ken Paxton, a candidate who had received strong backing from both Trump and billionaire Elon Musk.
Talarico’s victory marked the first time in nearly four decades that a Democrat had won a U.S. Senate election in Texas, making it one of the most closely watched results of the entire election.
Speaking to supporters after his victory, Talarico highlighted the influence of wealthy political donors during the campaign and argued that ordinary voters had demonstrated their power.
“We just proved that all the money in the world is no match for the people of Texas,” he said.
He also dedicated the victory to Texans who felt their concerns had been overlooked by politicians in Washington.
“This win, this win is for every Texan who’s ever wondered if anyone is listening,” Talarico added. “I hear you, we hear you. And tonight the world hears you.”
Ohio also delivered an important victory for Democrats, with Sherrod Brown winning a Senate seat that had been held by Republicans since JD Vance left the position to become vice president.
Addressing supporters during his victory celebration, Brown criticized the influence of wealthy individuals and major corporations in American politics.
“This is your victory,” he told the crowd.
He then accused powerful business interests and billionaires of attempting to influence the election through financial contributions.
“Corporations and billionaires tried to buy this election but it turns out there’s a whole lot more of us than them.” Brown said.
