Trump's race to save face: President denies midterm losses are his fault as he blames poor candidates - 'I would have won by a landslide'

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By ROSS IBBETSON, ASSOCIATE EDITOR and CHARLIE SPIERING, US POLITICAL REPORTER

Published: 04:00 GMT, 4 November 2026 | Updated: 04:20 GMT, 4 November 2026

Donald Trump has denied that he is to blame for the midterm election bloodbath, instead suggesting the results are down to poor Republican candidates.

The president insisted his absence from the ballot explained the losses, despite repeatedly urging supporters to imagine he was running, including on Fox News the night before the election. 

'I wasn't on the ballot, and if I was, we would have won in a landslide,' Trump wrote on Truth Social.

Trump issued the statement shortly before 10pm after a series of brutal results, with the Democrats projected to take the House and Senate. 

A White House official described the mood as 'defiant' and echoed Trump's statement, arguing the result was not a referendum on his administration.

'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.

'Also, anyone who voted Democrat today is going to have a serious case of buyers' remorse when gas prices come down quickly when the Iran conflict is solved but they're still stuck with 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.'

Donald Trump reacts as he takes the stage during a campaign rally at the Majestic Valley Arena in Kalispell, Montana, US, October 14

Trump's attempt to shift the blame came as Republicans lost a Senate seat in South Carolina, where Democrat Annie Andrews defeated his handpicked candidate Darline Graham, the sister of the late Senator Lindsey Graham.

Andrews, a pediatrician, became the first Democrat to win a Senate seat in South Caroline since 1998. 

Graham had been appointed to succeed her brother after his death in July and was seeking a full term.

Her defeat came despite Trump making three recent visits to the state to bolster her campaign. Andrews was ahead even in traditional Republican strongholds, including Greenville County.

In neighboring North Carolina, former Democratic governor Roy Cooper defeated Michael Whatley, the former Republican National Committee chairman, to capture the seat being vacated by retiring Republican Senator Thom Tillis.

It was the first Democratic Senate victory in the state since 2008, delivering a second Republican-held seat to the opposition.

Republicans also failed to dislodge Georgia Senator Jon Ossoff, who defeated Trump-backed Congressman Mike Collins to secure a second term.

Ossoff was the only incumbent Democratic senator defending a seat in a state Trump carried in 2024, making his victory a significant missed opportunity for Republicans.