President Donald Trump faced pressure from Republicans on Wednesday to change course after a midterm election rout handed Democrats control of Congress and voters rejected his handpicked candidates in key races.Republican allies and strategists called for Trump to shake up his White House personnel, restore discipline and scrap policies they blamed for the losses, including the Iran war and tariffs, as his presidency enters its final years.
Veteran Republican strategist John Feehery called the results a “huge disaster” for Trump.
“He needs to clean house,” Feehery said.
“Every day from this point forward, he’s becoming more and more lame.”
But Trump showed little indication that he viewed the election outcome as a reason to change direction.
“I don’t view it as a hit on me,” he told Fox News late on Tuesday.
Democrats will now have the power to block Trump’s legislation, investigate his administration and challenge his nominees.
That is expected to push Trump, who has already used executive authority aggressively, toward an even greater reliance on unilateral action.
He will also have to decide whether to double down on an agenda that some Republicans fear has become a political liability, particularly for potential successors eyeing White House bids in 2028.
Vice President JD Vance, who is viewed as Trump’s likely political heir, appeared to put some distance between himself and the president on Wednesday, blaming the Iran war for the midterm losses.
Such breaks could become more common if Republicans conclude Trump’s longtime grip on the party’s voters is weakening, strategists and party officials said.
