Republicans urge Trump to rethink policies after midterm losses.
Iran war and tariffs face growing criticism within the party.
Democrats gain Congress, raising prospects of investigations and resistance.
Republican leaders and allies are pressing US President Donald Trump to rethink his policies after the party suffered a major midterm defeat, with Democrats winning control of Congress and several Trump-backed candidates losing key races.
Some Republicans want Trump to make changes within the White House, bring greater discipline to his administration, and reverse policies they believe contributed to the losses, particularly the war with Iran and his tariff measures, according to Reuters. The calls for a shift come as Trump enters the final years of his presidency.
The Democratic gains will also change the balance of power in Washington. With control of Congress, the party can stall Trump's legislative proposals, scrutinise his administration through investigations and reject his nominees.
Facing a more hostile Congress, Trump may turn increasingly to executive orders and other presidential powers to advance his priorities.
Republicans Want A Course Correction
John Feehery, a veteran Republican strategist, believes the election results leave Trump with a serious political problem. Calling the outcome a "huge disaster", he argued that the president could no longer afford to keep his administration unchanged.
"He needs to clean house," Feehery said. "Every day from this point forward, he's becoming more and more lame."
The Republican defeat has exposed growing differences within Trump's party over the war with Iran, with Vice President JD Vance and Senator Ted Cruz questioning the administration's handling of the conflict.
Vance directly linked the election setback to the war, writing on X: "The reason we lost is the war." He questioned whether continuing the conflict was worth the political cost, particularly after Democrats took control of the Senate. He also pointed to rising living costs, inflation, and US relations with Israel as factors that drove voters away from Republicans
Trump offered a different assessment of the defeat. In an interview with Fox News on Tuesday night, he played down its implications for his presidency.
"I don't view it as a hit on me," he told the network.
Trump Administration Braces for Reshuffle and Congressional Scrutiny
The election defeat has left the White House facing the prospect of major internal changes. A senior administration official told Reuters, speaking anonymously, that aides were expecting colleagues to leave, possible changes to the Cabinet and investigations by Democrats once they take control of Congress.
"It absolutely sucks to be here right now," the official said, adding, "Morale is as low as it can get."
The official also said internal surveys had signalled trouble for Republicans in both chambers as early as six weeks before the vote. Despite those warnings, Trump did not alter his position on the Iran war, even after being told it could damage the party's election chances.
"Ultimately, he just didn't care," the official said. "He refused to listen to anyone."
Trump admitted late Tuesday that the eight-month-long war had affected Republican candidates but stood by his decision to start the conflict.
The war was not the only issue troubling Republican strategists. A political adviser said focus groups held ahead of closely contested Senate races in Michigan and Iowa showed growing unease among Republican and independent voters over Trump's attention to plans for a White House ballroom and renovation work in Washington.
