Lucrezia Ciotti After the Republicans' heavy defeat in the midterms , Donald Trump broke his silence in his first public appearance, but surprised everyone by focusing on the work in the new White House ballroom. Only after reporters' questions did he address the election results and the potential impact of the war with Iran on his party's defeat.
The Democrats' victory and the consequences for the Trump administration
The extent of the defeat emerges above all from the balance of power that emerged in Washington after the November 3 vote . The Democrats won both the House of Representatives and the Senate , wresting control of both branches of Congress from the Republicans.
This result represents a significant obstacle for Trump's second presidency , especially considering the final two years of his term. The new Democratic majority will be able to exert more effective control over the administration's actions, conduct hearings, launch investigations into senior government officials, and slow down or block White House nominations, particularly those submitted to the Senate for approval.
The president will retain his veto power and executive branch prerogatives , but he will have to contend with a Congress no longer aligned with his majority. A more complex political phase is thus opening up for Trump, in which any legislative initiative could require difficult negotiations with the opposition.
Trump and his midterm defeat, Republicans incredulous: the announcement in his first public appearance
In the wake of the Republicans' severe electoral setback, Donald Trump returned to public speaking , but without immediately addressing the outcome of the midterm elections. On Wednesday, November 4, the President of the United States welcomed journalists to the construction site of the new White House ballroom , choosing to initially focus attention on the work in progress. Trump enthusiastically described the future structure, claiming that " it will not only be one of the largest, but I think it will be the most beautiful ballroom in the world ." During the meeting, he also discussed the construction of 83 monuments and statues in Washington, reiterating some of the projects he intends to advance. Footage released by the AFP agency also captured workers present at the construction site listening to the president's speech.
Only later, under pressure from reporters, did Trump address the issue of his defeat . In particular, he acknowledged that the war with Iran could have significantly impacted the election outcome, calling the connection between the conflict and the difficulties faced by the Republican Party "largely true." This observation came after statements by Vice President J.D. Vance, who had identified the war as one of the factors behind the setback. Furthermore, in an interview with Fox , the president declared: " I shouldn't feel guilty about this outcome ," implying that he did not want to place all the blame for the defeat on himself. Trump also announced that he does not intend to make any changes to his administration.