Trump defends Iran war decision after GOP midterm losses
Fox News correspondent Madeleine Rivera reports on Vice President JD Vance blaming Republican midterm losses on the Iran war, while President Trump acknowledges the conflict’s political impact but maintains that military action was necessary.
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One of the original members of the House Freedom Caucus has made his decision on who to support in 2028 after Republicans’ historic losses in Tuesday night’s midterms.
Rep. Marlin Stutzman, R-Ind., told Fox News Digital “I am all in” for Secretary of State Marco Rubio and called on fellow Republicans to begin thinking about how to rebuild in the wake of their election losses.
“He can be a unifier,” Stutzman said.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio looks on during a dedication ceremony for an annex building at the U.S. embassy in New Delhi on May 23, 2026. (Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AFP)
He also told Fox News Digital that Republicans “have to do better at communicating” since they “can’t push policy” after losing the House and Senate majorities.
Among those communication changes, he suggested changing the way Republicans discuss immigration.
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“We need to get off the deportation messages, take credit for closing the border, and now start finding a path forward for those here illegally obeying the laws,” Stutzman said. “No citizenship just work visas.”
A blue tsunami swept both federal and state races on Tuesday night. In the House, both battleground districts and seats considered safe GOP strongholds saw upset Democrat victories.
Rep. Marlin Stutzman, R-Ind., attends a House Financial Services Committee hearing on May 7, 2025. (CQ-Roll Call, Inc. via Getty Images)
Dozens of races have yet to be called, but Democrats are projected to hold at least 54 seats in the Senate. In the House so far, they’re projected to win 240 seats, compared to 147 projected for Republicans.
Democrats also scored upset victories in multiple governorships, namely in Texas and Iowa.
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And within hours of the writing landing on the wall, various GOP factions began publicly discussing how to rebuild and move forward.
Vice President JD Vance quickly distanced himself from the war in Iran, which is thought to be one of the biggest drivers of voters moving away from the GOP.
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Vice President JD Vance speaks at a campaign rally at Griffiss International Airport on Nov. 2, 2026, in Rome, New York. (Tom Brenner/Getty Images)
“The reason we lost is the war. The president himself said so last night,” Vance posted on X in a lengthy statement. “If you’d like to argue it was worth it, that losing the Senate for the next 6 years was worth it, then do so. Argue it was a worthwhile cost to pay. Agree or disagree, that’s at least honest. But everyone knows why we lost. And any honest conversation about where we go from here must start there.”
Vance is considered a top presidential contender for Republicans in 2028, as is Rubio.
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But it’s not clear yet whether their senior roles in the Trump administration will similarly sandbag their prospective bids.