President Donald Trump reportedly did not join Cabinet officials, political advisers, and MAGA allies when the midterm election results came in. The results, on November 3, marked a resounding victory for the Democrats who secured a majority in both the House of Representatives and the Senate.
This will be the first time the Republican president has to spend a term where the entire US Congress is Democrat-controlled.
On the night of the result Trump's supporters and appointees reportedly gathered in the White House's East Wing, where trays of finger food from the Cheesecake Factory were laid out. However, the president opted to remain upstairs in his private residence. The Cheesecake Factory offering came amid the row the Trump administration had raised over former President Barack Obama's remarks regarding Trump's White House renovations.
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However, instead of watching the results together, Trump saw the blue wave sweep in with Chief of Staff Susie Wiles and aide Natalie Harp by his side, The Daily Mail reported. The publication noted that First Lady Melania Trump did not watch the results with him.
Trump's mood was ‘very dark’, official reportedly said
{{/usCountry}}However, instead of watching the results together, Trump saw the blue wave sweep in with Chief of Staff Susie Wiles and aide Natalie Harp by his side, The Daily Mail reported. The publication noted that First Lady Melania Trump did not watch the results with him.
Trump's mood was ‘very dark’, official reportedly said
{{/usCountry}}An official reportedly told the publication, “It's very, very dark in the residence,” speaking of Trump's mood. The president was reportedly seething as the night wore on.
Officals too, reportedly began to leave the watch party. The report noted that Secretary of State Marco Rubio was there early in the evening but could not be found later on.
The mood reportedly worsened and Trump was at one point “watching Fox News, barely uttering a word and paralyzed into silence,” a source told the Mail. During the counting, Trump put out series of posts on Truth Social, his social media platform, where he criticized the Fox News exit polls.
After telling voters to pretend he was on the ballot, Trump and his White House changed stance on November 3, saying that if Trump were actually on the ballot, he would have won. The president communicated the same to a POLITICO reporter who got on call with him and shared the conversation online.
Hegseth, Rubio may be blamed: Report
The publication further reported sources say that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Secretary of State Marco Rubio were expected to be blamed for the midterms defeat.
“Tonight would have looked very different without the Iran War. I believe you'll ultimately see POTUS hold Hegseth accountable,” an official reportedly said. Hegseth is already facing the heat with Republican lawmaker Thomas Massie calling for his impeachment, or resignation. However, Trump has not yet indicated any plans to fire Hegseth from the post.
However, Vice President JD Vance blamed the Iran war as well, as the reason for the midterm drubbing, after which Trump defended the decision to go to war, as something that needed to be done.
As for Rubio, a top Republican Party donor told the Mail, “Rubio is over. Though that's maybe also true for all Republicans who touched Trump's foreign policy.” A report claimed that US Ambassador to India, Sergio Gor, might be considered as Rubio's replacement, but Gor has rejected this report.