US Vice President Vance says Iran war is ‘the reason we lost’ midterms

Democratic wave raises doubts over his status as frontrunner for Republican nomination in 2028 presidential election

US Vice President JD Vance said on Wednesday that the Iran war had doomed Republicans in the midterm elections, moving to distance himself from the unpopular conflict ahead of a possible 2028 White House run.

“The reason we lost is the war. The president himself said so last night,” Vance said in a lengthy post on X — apparently referring to President Donald Trump’s remarks that the Iran war was “part of it” but that it was still justified.

“If you’d like to argue it was worth it, that losing the Senate for the next 6 years was worth it, then do so. Argue it was a worthwhile cost to pay. Agree or disagree, that’s at least honest,” added Vance.

Read: US midterms deliver wave of historic firsts across states, Congress

One of the things the data analysts on our side obsessed over was "composition"—whether the electorate looked close enough to 2024 for Republicans to win. And despite polls that showed a Democrat blowout, the data kept on telling us the same story: in some states turnout was…

— JD Vance (@JDVance) November 4, 2026

“But everyone knows why we lost. And any honest conversation about where we go from here must start there.”

The Democratic wave in Tuesday’s midterms has raised major questions over Vance’s previous status as the frontrunner for the Republican nomination in the 2028 presidential election.

He has not yet formally declared that he will run.

Vance, a longtime vocal critic of US foreign interventionism, had reportedly been sceptical behind the scenes about the war on Iran that Trump and Israel launched in late February.

Vance also acknowledged that Republican voters who backed Trump and himself two years ago had switched sides due to the war and its effects on the US economy.

“The main problem is that many people who voted for Trump/Vance in 2024 voted for Democrats in 2026,” Vance said.

He said a pollster that he respected showed the Iran war and the economy were key factors in voters abandoning Republicans, along with a desire to “change our relationship to Israel”.

Meanwhile, top Senate Democrat Chuck Schumer said the Iran war “must end” and suggested his party’s incoming majority in Congress could use their control over government funding to press for that goal.

“This war must end. It must end,” Schumer told journalists, later noting that the “power of the purse” is “one of the ways of deterring a president who does war without the consent of the American people”.

"The American people don't know what the heck we're fighting for in Iran."

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer calls for an end to the war, accusing President Trump of repeatedly shifting his explanation for the U.S. mission.

Schumer also warns that Democrats will pursue… pic.twitter.com/7j9QbXY7ZX

— Fox News (@FoxNews) November 4, 2026

White House insists Trump is ‘still your president’ after midterm rout

Donald Trump is “still your president”, the White House said on Wednesday, a day after his Republican Party suffered sweeping losses in midterm elections seen as a referendum on his second term.

The White House delivered the message in a post on X featuring a picture of a glaring Trump looming over the Resolute Desk in the Oval Office.

Read More: Trump hand-picked Senate candidates. Republicans paid the price

“PSA: TRUMP IS STILL YOUR PRESIDENT,” text superimposed on the image said, using the abbreviation for public service announcement.

Thank you for your attention to this matter. pic.twitter.com/Q1ZGYM7idV

— The White House (@WhiteHouse) November 4, 2026

“Thank you for your attention to this matter,” the post added, using a phrase Trump frequently employs in his social media messages.

Opposition Democrats won control of both the House and the Senate on Tuesday, dealing a major blow to Trump and the Republican Party.

The Democratic capture of Congress signals an end to Trump’s stranglehold on US politics and gives Democrats the power to pass legislation, launch investigations into Trump’s administration and thwart his appointments.

The results reflected deep frustration over the cost of living, tariffs and Trump’s war with Iran, which has sent prices soaring and compounded dissatisfaction with an already deeply unpopular president.

But Trump has threatened to use his veto power, raising questions about how much Democrats can achieve even with control of both the House and Senate.