US President Donald Trump on Tuesday claimed that Republicans would have secured a sweeping victory in the 2026 midterm elections had he himself been on the ballot, as early results showed Democrats making gains in Republican-held districts.
“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. President DONALD J. TRUMP,” Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social.
His remarks came after NewsNation White House correspondent Kellie Meyer reported that a White House official had described the mood inside the administration as “defiant” amid the election results.
“President Trump was not on the ballot, and it’s proven that Trump voters show up when he is on the ballot,” the official told NewsNation, according to Meyer, who shared the comments in a post on X.
The official also argued that the quality of candidates had played a significant role in the election, claiming that Trump had done a better job of promoting several Republican candidates than they had done themselves.
“Also, candidate quality matters, and President Trump did a better job promoting many of the candidates on the ballot than the candidates did themselves,” the official said.
The official further suggested that voters who backed Democrats could regret their decision if petrol prices fell sharply after the Iran conflict was resolved, while they would still be represented by what the official described as a list of “liberal extremist Democrats”.
“And a final note here: regardless of how today plays out, President Trump’s resolve to stop the Radical Left is only going to become stronger. Buckle up,” the official added.
Democrats make early gains as polls close
Polling stations closed in several states, including Georgia and South Carolina, as Americans voted in elections that will determine the balance of power in Congress for the remaining two years of Trump's presidency.
Early results showed Democrats making gains in Republican-held districts, with several important Senate contests also going their way. Democrats won Senate seats in North Carolina, South Carolina and Ohio, while incumbent Senator Jon Ossoff retained his seat in Georgia.
In Texas, Democrat James Talarico also secured a major victory, adding to the party's gains in traditionally Republican territory.
The results marked a significant setback for Republicans, who entered the elections holding majorities in both chambers of Congress.
Voters want Congress to check Trump, poll finds
Preliminary national results from CNN's Voter Poll showed that 71% of voters believed Congress was not doing enough to check Trump's powers. Views of both Congress and the Supreme Court were also negative.
The findings reflected concerns among voters about the balance of power between the executive and legislative branches as well as the administration's policies.
Meanwhile, sources close to Trump told CNN that the president had at times appeared hopeful that pre-election polling was inaccurate and that Republicans would perform better than surveys had suggested.
However, the sources said Trump had also privately acknowledged that his party could face a worst-case scenario in the elections.
Democratic Socialists make gains in House races
Several progressive candidates, including at least five members of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), are set to join House Democrats in January after winning their respective races.
Three of the victories came in New York, where DSA candidates Darializa Avila Chevalier and Claire Valdez, along with former New York City Comptroller Brad Lander, won in strongly Democratic districts.
Other DSA-backed victories included Melat Kiros in Colorado, Donavan McKinney in Michigan and Chris Rabb in Pennsylvania.
Adam Hamawy also won his race in New Jersey, adding to the gains made by progressive candidates in the elections.
The results are expected to shape the political landscape in Washington, with the new congressional balance of power likely to influence Trump's legislative agenda during the final two years of his term.