Former White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt attributed Republicans’ sweeping midterm defeat to voters losing sight of President Trump’s “good policy” and being influenced by what she called “the lying media.”
Trump suffered a dramatic backlash Tuesday as voters voiced frustration over rising living costs, expensive gasoline, the war in Iran and aggressive immigration enforcement.
Candidates handpicked by the president for Senate races in South Carolina, North Carolina, Michigan and Texas suffered unexpectedly heavy losses, while Democrats seized control of both chambers of Congress.
As the results mounted and the scale of the Republican defeat became clear, Leavitt told Fox News that voters’ short memories had contributed to the party’s collapse.
“Before the president launched the operation in Iran, I remember standing at the podium and talking about gasoline costing $1.99 in states like Colorado,” Leavitt said on the network.
“That was because of his energy dominance plan, not the Democrats. Unfortunately, I think the American people forgot about the good policy and perhaps listened to the lying media on the other side,” the former press secretary added.
Trump launched his widely unpopular invasion of Iran in February. The conflict prompted Iran to close the Strait of Hormuz, a key shipping route carrying roughly 25 percent of the world’s seaborne oil.
Gas prices and broader household expenses climbed sharply afterward. The national average price of gasoline now stands at $4.12 a gallon, up from $3.05 a year ago, according to the American Automobile Association.
Former White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt blamed Republicans’ midterm defeat on the “lying media” during a Fox News appearance on election night
Leavitt said voters had forgotten Trump’s “good policy,” recalling her previous comments that gasoline had fallen to $1.99 in states such as Colorado
A powerful blue wave swept across the country Tuesday, signaling voter anger over Trump’s presidency, high fuel costs, the cost of living and foreign wars
Trump entered the White House in 2025 promising to reverse price increases that began under the Biden administration and pledging to avoid “new wars.”
In an election-night interview with The Wall Street Journal, Trump acknowledged that the war in Iran may have contributed to the Republican rout.
He insisted, however, that he had no regrets about the invasion, telling the publication: “I did the right thing. I would have done it again.”
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In a Truth Social post Tuesday evening, Trump argued that Republicans lost because his name was not on the ballot, appearing to distance himself from the bruising result.
“I wasn’t on the Ballot and if I was, we would have won IN A LANDSLIDE! Thank you for your attention to this matter,” he wrote.
That claim came despite Trump spending months campaigning heavily for Republican candidates nationwide and urging voters to “pretend I’m on the ballot.”
The president also appeared furious during an election-night call with Fox News host Bret Baier, who questioned the “quality” of Trump’s Senate endorsements in Texas and South Carolina.
In Texas, Democrat James Talarico defeated Ken Paxton by 12 points, giving the state its first Democratic senator since 1988. Trump had backed Paxton over incumbent Senator John Cornyn in the Republican primary, citing what he viewed as Cornyn’s disloyalty.
Democrat James Talarico defeated Ken Paxton by 12 points in Texas, which elected its first Democratic senator since 1988 in a result that far exceeded polling expectations
Democrat Annie Andrews pulled off a surprise South Carolina victory over Darlene Graham, the candidate personally selected by Trump and sister of the late Lindsey Graham
In South Carolina, Democrat Annie Andrews defeated political newcomer Darlene Graham, who had been appointed to fill the seat of her late brother, Lindsey Graham, and entered the general election with Trump’s backing.
Asked about his support for the defeated candidates, Trump told Baier that he “had no choice” but to back Paxton before turning his criticism toward Fox News.
“The Fox polls are terrible. You ought to get yourself a good pollster, because your pollster is the worst,” Trump said.
Baier immediately pushed back, responding: “But tonight, actually, the results are pretty close to what the Fox polls showed.”
As Democrats’ gains became apparent Tuesday, Trump told The New York Times that he would accept the election results and was willing to work with Democrats.
“We’ll, you know, look forward to working with them,” he said. “We’ll probably work something out.”
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