Republicans Call on Trump to Change Course After Midterm Drubbing: Vance Blames Iran War, White House Morale Low
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump faced pressure from Republicans on Wednesday, November 4, 2026, to change course after a midterm rout handed Democrats control of Congress, Reuters reported, with Republican allies and strategists calling on him to shake up White House personnel, restore discipline and scrap policies they blamed for the losses, including the Iran war and tariffs.
Veteran Republican strategist John Feehery called the results a "huge disaster" for Trump, saying "he needs to clean house" and that he was becoming more lame-duck by the day. Trump himself has shown little indication of changing direction. Vice President JD Vance, viewed as Trump's likely political heir, appeared to put some distance between himself and the president on November 4, blaming the Iran war for the midterm losses; strategists and party officials told Reuters that such breaks could become more common if Republicans conclude Trump's longtime grip on the party's voters is weakening.
Inside the White House, senior aides were bracing for staff departures, possible Cabinet changes and Democratic investigations, according to a senior official who spoke on condition of anonymity and described morale as "as low as it can get." The official said internal polling had warned six weeks before the election that Republicans were headed for losses in both chambers, but Trump refused to change course on Iran despite warnings about the political consequences. Trump acknowledged late on November 3 that the eight-month-old Iran war had hurt Republican candidates but defended his decision to launch the conflict.
Republican concerns extended beyond the war. A Republican political adviser told Reuters that in focus groups conducted for competitive Senate races in places like Michigan and Iowa, more Republican and independent voters voiced opposition to the president's focus on the White House ballroom and Washington renovations. Yet on November 4 Trump gathered reporters for an impromptu visit to the ballroom construction site and defended the time he has devoted to the project, saying: "For me it's relaxing." The White House also posted a photograph of Trump on social media with the message: "PSA: TRUMP IS STILL YOUR PRESIDENT."
With Democrats in control of Congress, they will have the power to block Trump's legislation, investigate his administration and challenge his nominees. Reuters previously reported that the White House has spent months preparing executive actions on immigration, tariffs, housing and federal spending that could allow it to advance parts of its agenda despite Democratic opposition, but executive authority will not shield the administration from congressional probes.
(Source: Reuters)
Source: Reuters
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：特朗普在白宫南草坪向人群挥手（2026年10月6日）。白宫 摄，公共领域，经 Wikimedia Commons。 / Photo: President Trump waves to a crowd on the South Lawn of the White House, October 6, 2026. By The White House, public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
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