Democrats Seize Congress as Iran War Costs Trump Midterms

Democratic candidates won controlling majorities in both the U.S. House and Senate during the November 2026 midterm elections, delivering a sweeping rebuke to Donald Trump. The party secured a Senate majority of at least 54-44 and gained at least 30 House seats, flipping traditionally Republican strongholds in Texas, Kansas, and Maine. Voters cited the cost of living as a primary driver, with gasoline prices averaging $4.15 on Election Day due to a nine-month conflict with Iran that disrupted oil shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.

President Trump defended the war, which began with joint U.S.-Israeli strikes in February, as necessary to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons. However, internal Republican friction emerged as Vice President JD Vance explicitly blamed the conflict for the loss of the Senate. Other GOP figures, including Governor Ron DeSantis, described the results as a political worst-case scenario. In response to the defeat, House Speaker Mike Johnson announced he will not lead the Republican caucus next year.

Democratic leaders Chuck Schumer and Hakeem Jeffries vowed to use their new majorities to end the war and repeal tariffs. Schumer indicated that Democrats may use the power of the purse to limit Defense Department funding. Meanwhile, Iranian leaders celebrated the results in Tehran, characterizing the landslide as a public rejection of the war. Despite the losses, the White House issued a defiant message stating that Trump remains president, while the president himself threatened to use his veto to block Democratic legislation.