US President Donald Trump has sought to distance himself from the Republican Party’s poor performance in the 2026 midterm elections, claiming that the party would have secured a landslide victory if he had been on the ballot.
Trump made the remark in a post on his Truth Social platform as election results showed Democrats making significant gains across the country and securing control of both chambers of Congress.
“I wasn’t on the Ballot and if I was, we would have won IN A LANDSLIDE!” he wrote.
The president’s comments came after Republicans suffered major defeats in several traditionally conservative states, with Democratic candidates recording victories in key Senate races, including Texas, South Carolina, Kansas and Ohio.
The outcome represents a major setback for Trump’s administration, as Democrats are set to take control of the House of Representatives and the Senate, giving the opposition party greater influence over legislation and congressional investigations.
Trump had actively campaigned for Republican candidates ahead of the elections, urging supporters to treat the midterms as a vote of confidence in his presidency.
However, following the disappointing results, he appeared to shift responsibility away from himself, insisting that his absence from the ballot contributed to the party’s losses.
The Democratic victories are widely viewed as a rebuke of the Republican administration, with voters expressing concerns over the cost of living, economic pressures and the government’s handling of national affairs.
The new balance of power is expected to make it more difficult for Trump to advance his legislative agenda during the remaining two years of his presidency, as Democrats prepare to take control of Congress in January 2027.
