Plus, Democrats’ disciplined messaging on the economy paid off on Election Day, and how midterm results threaten America’s AI boom.
Iran is the biggest winner of Tuesday’s election — or at least, that is what Tehran will likely conclude. Recall that last month, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps spokesperson Gen. Hossein Mohebbi, in a 25-page letter to the “Honorable People of the United States of America,” encouraged “Americans to vote against President Trump ahead of the midterm elections to change U.S. policy toward Tehran…
Despite wins, Democrats lack the two-thirds majority needed to overturn a presidential veto and push through a law.
A series of reported secret U.S. military attacks carried out against Iran in the lead up to Tuesday’s midterm elections is raising alarms around public transparency. The United States’s Monday strike on Iranian targets in the Strait of Hormuz — including an anti-aircraft facility on the strategic Qeshm Island — marked the latest in a…
Iran’s Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf is the ultimate linchpin binding the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ wartime command network, its post-war construction monopoly, and the legislative machinery anchoring both. While dominating Tehran as mayor from 2005 to 2017, Ghalibaf systematically funneled no fewer than 23 parcels of land and buildings to the Guard Intelligence Unit under a […]
Tuesday’s election laid bare just how much Americans are against the conflict.
Plus, billions of dollars in orders are complicating an end to U.S. aid to Israel, and the blue wave sets off a potential regime change in markets.
Vice President Vance stepped out of President Trump's shadow Wednesday, seizing on the GOP's midterm catastrophe to begin the explosive task of claiming MAGA as his own. "The reason we lost is the war," Vance wrote in an extraordinary 600-word postmortem on X , blaming Trump's Iran campaign for Republicans' historic collapse. Why it matters: Vance's presidential ambitions are entangled in the wreckage of a war he privately opposed but publicly defended. His path to 2028 demands a delicate political calculation. Vance must convince MAGA's disillusioned voters that he understands their sense of betrayal, even as he remains a central figure in the administration responsible for the Iran war. His maneuvering will take place under the gaze of a president who doesn't seem particularly eager to leave the stage — and who isn't shy about reining in those on his team who overstep. "Today, JD Vance became president — or acted like he wanted to become one," a source close to the administration told Axios. Zoom in: Vance argued that defections from Trump's 2024 coalition — not lack of turnout — drove the GOP's collapse in Tuesday's midterms. Citing polling of disaffected Trump voters, he identified four demands: "End the war." "Focus on cost of living/inflation." "Put America First." "Change our relationship to Israel." Those happen to be the four hottest topics among top MAGA podcasters and activists. So Vance is aligning with those leaders on topics where MAGA anger with Trump is raging. What they're saying: "If you'd like to argue [the war] was worth it, that losing the Senate for the next 6 years was worth it, then do so," Vance wrote. "Argue it was a worthwhile cost to pay. Agree or disagree, that's at least honest." Trump accepted that challenge Wednesday, acknowledging that the war had hurt Republicans but insisting it was worth the cost. "If I had to do it again, I'd have to do it again," he told reporters. "As far as that war is concerned, I would have done nothing diff
As he takes stock of his Republican Party's midterm drubbing, US President Donald Trump now faces the difficult question of what to do about his unpopular war against Iran. Trump acknowledged the war affected the midterms, suggesting voters were frustrated by surging gas prices that have been a byproduct of the more than 8-month-old conflict. FRANCE 24's International Affairs Editor Philip Turle tells us more.
US Vice President JD Vance blames the war for the midterm rout as Democrats prepare to use Congress to rein it in.
The midterm results laid bare the deep unpopularity of the war of choice that President Trump started and is now struggling to end.
Both President Trump and Vice President JD Vance acknowledged the role the Iran war played in the GOP's election loss. Iran agrees, but it is wary of new attacks.
President Trump has blamed GOP candidates and Fox News in the wake of the sweeping Democratic sweep during the midterm elections.
Bloomberg Daybreak Europe is your essential morning viewing to stay ahead. Live from London, we set the agenda for your day, catching you up with overnight markets news from the US and Asia. And we'll tell you what matters for investors in Europe, giving you insight before trading begins. The Republican Party’s generational collapse in this week’s midterm elections ushered in a wave of finger-pointing largely aimed at the Oval Office, exposing deep fissures within the party and opening the door for 2028 hopefuls to hone their message. Brent oil pushed lower after tumbling more than 8% in the previous session as investors bet that a Democratic sweep in the US midterm elections could accelerate efforts to end the war in the Middle East. Today's guests: Bernd Montag, Siemens Healthineers, CEO; Hetal Mehta, St James’s Place, Chief Economist; Melanie Kreis, DHL Group, CFO (Source: Bloomberg)
Vice President JD Vance distanced himself from President Donald Trump and the war against Iran as the Republican Party’s generational collapse in the midterm elections ushered in a wave of finger-pointing largely aimed at the Oval Office. Bloomberg's Oliver Crook has the latest. (Source: Bloomberg)
But the president still has veto power, which he can wield to dictate policy over tariffs, the war in Iran or aid for Ukraine In a rare occurrence, a US election may have actually been decided by foreign policy. Donald Trump ’s war in Iran and international tariffs are seen as playing a key role in the inflationary pressures that drove so many Americans to vote against his party on Tuesday in what has been described as a “generational wipeout” for the Republicans . And in the coming months, the president is going to face severe headwinds on those policies as Democrats storm back into control of Congress, threatening investigations of some of his top envoys and Pentagon contractors, big fights over budgets linked to the Iran war, and greater scrutiny of US relationships with allies such as Israel. Continue reading...
Brent oil extended its slide after tumbling more than 8% in the previous session as investors bet that a Democratic sweep in the US midterm elections could accelerate efforts to end the war in the Middle East. Bloomberg's Onur Ant reports. (Source: Bloomberg)
J.D. Vance’s Iran war theory is wrong.
Democrat Scott Colom is leading Republican incumbent Cindy Hyde-Smith in the southern state; JD Vance pointed to the war in Iran as the ‘obvious’ culprit for Republicans’ loss Live results | How do you feel about the results? Sign up for Breaking News US email Welcome to our continuing coverage of the 2026 midterms where almost 24 hours after Democrats secured their historic sweep of the US Congress, two Senate seats remain in play. Counting in Alaska is expected to continue into Thursday, while in deep red Mississippi , Democrats could be close to pulling off another almighty upset. Currently, Democrat Scott Colom is leading his Republican incumbent Cindy Hyde-Smith by just 1,138 votes with almost 96% of the vote counted. Donald Trump claimed Republicans fared poorly because he was not on the ballot – after repeatedly urging voters to pretend he was on the ballot. JD Vance pointed to Trump’s ongoing war in Iran as the “obvious” culprit for the loss. Pete Hegseth’ s role leading the unpopular war could lead to him taking the fall – despite Trump publicly backing him. Republicans including Trump foe Thomas Massie have criticized the defense secretary. Ron DeSantis , Florida’s governor, said the “close to an extinction-level event for Republicans” was caused in part by his party failing to target their ad spending on issues that would motivate voters. Continue reading...
Bloomberg's Abeer Abu Omar says the likelihood of US military action against Iran remains uncertain following the midterm elections, even as crude prices decline on market expectations that an immediate attack is unlikely. (Source: Bloomberg)
The vice-president's blunt assessment of Republican election defeat marked one of the sharpest breaks with a sitting president in recent memory.
Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) gave War Secretary Pete Hegseth an ultimatum Wednesday night, saying the Cabinet official can resign or face impeachment in the 119th Congress’s final stretch. Massie’s move is unsurprising, as he previously disclosed his plans to force a vote on impeachment articles against Hegseth when the House returns following the midterm elections. […]
President Trump has no regrets about his war with Iran, despite CBS News projecting that Democrats will win both the House and Senate in the midterm elections. Weijia Jiang reports.
President Trump has conceded that the Iran war cost Republicans dearly in the midterms. Now he must decide whether to cut his losses and reach a deal — or double down and go back to bombing. Why it matters: All of Trump's options are problematic: The first is to strike. But going back to war would be highly unpopular — keeping gas prices high and probably not yielding a better military result. Another is to negotiate. But if the Iranians refuse to make concessions — or, sensing weakness after the president's political loss, up their demands — Trump will have a hard time reaching a deal. The third is to "strangle," as aides put it. This would mean sticking with the status quo — the naval blockade coupled with crippling economic sanctions that leave the Iranian regime to "rot" — while continuing to test its appetite for a deal. This path, however, could take months to show progress. The big picture: The president has said for weeks he would end the war one way or another after the election. One of his former advisers told Axios: "It's one thing to lose the midterms. But Trump doesn't want to look like a loser twice." That's left even his closest aides unsure what he's going to do next. The intrigue: Vice President Vance, in an extraordinary statement Wednesday morning, bluntly blamed the war for the GOP's midterm drubbing. It added a new political calculation to Trump's decision. "The reason we lost is the war," Vance wrote on X . "The president himself said so last night. 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. ... But everyone knows why we lost. And any honest conversation about where we go from here must start there." Vance also cited the U.S. relationship with Israel as a serious liability for Republicans. Trump told reporters on Wednesday that Vance's analysis was "largely true" because the war drove gas prices up. But Trump said he'd do it again if he had to: "We had no choice. You can't let I
JD Vance calls Iran war into question as Thomas Massie files eight articles of impeachment Send us your questions about the US midterms results and Democrats’ ‘blue wave’ Pete Hegseth is increasingly looking like he may take the fall for Republicans’ midterm losses, despite Donald Trump’s vocal support for his defense secretary, even calling him a champion of war. The war in Iran, which voters and Trump have named as a key reason for Republicans’ midterm losses, “has been primarily a Department of War-led effort because you chose to take military action to resolve a foreign policy matter”, a former senior Pentagon official told CNN . Continue reading...
Despite their midterm election victories, Democrats face major obstacles to reining in Trump on Iran, tariffs and more.
President Trump admits Iran war 'largely' caused Republicans' US election wipeout, but says he 'had to do it'.
The Iran war, gas prices and Trump’s miscalculations led to one of the most decisive repudiations of an American president.
In our news wrap Wednesday, top officials in Iran welcomed the results of the U.S. midterm elections, Israeli President Isaac Herzog says he's accepted the results of last week's election and will consult with party leaders on forming a new government and Ukraine's air force says Russia launched more than 300 drones overnight.
President Trump stated he has no immediate plans for further strikes on Iran, easing geopolitical risk across the region. The remarks triggered a sharp decline in crude oil and fueled a broad rally across Asian equities. (Source: Bloomberg)
President Donald Trump said the war in Iran likely contributed to Republican setbacks in the midterm elections
Bloomberg's Jeff Mason joined the show to discuss the White House reaction to Republican midterm losses, President Trump's focus on the ballroom and Trump's acknowledgment that higher gasoline prices tied to the Iran war contributed to the defeat. He speaks with Joe Mathieu and Kailey Leinz on Bloomberg’s Special Edition of "Balance of Power." (Source: Bloomberg)
Leon Panetta, former Secretary of Defense and White House Chief of Staff, says whether Susie Wiles remains White House Chief of Staff depends on her relationship with President Donald Trump, a relationship Panetta says appears to be good. Panetta says Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has little credibility with either Democrats or Republicans on Capitol Hill, has failed to keep Congress adequately informed and says Trump will eventually have to decide whether to keep him in the job. Panetta says Trump has to recognize that the American people have spoken clearly and do not support the war with Iran. He speaks with Joe Mathieu and Kailey Leinz on Bloomberg’s Special Edition of "Balance of Power." (Source: Bloomberg)
The people, companies and trends shaping the global economy. Watch Carol and Tim LIVE every day on YouTube: http://bit.ly/3vTiACF Riding a tide of voter angst, Democrats swept into power in Congress, with outrage over the cost of living and the war in Iran leading to a thundering rebuke of President Donald Trump and his party just two years after his dominant White House comeback. In a seismic political shift, Democrats’ strength suggested a breakdown of the coalition that delivered Trump a second term. The election results threaten to slow the pace of the AI infrastructure buildout, with policymakers potentially turning up the heat on increasingly unpopular data center projects. On today's episode: Joe Mathieu, Bloomberg 'Balance of Power' Co-Host Brody Ford, Bloomberg News Tech Reporter Nathan Dean, Bloomberg Intelligence Senior US Policy Analyst Joe Lovinger, Bloomberg News Texas Reporter (Source: Bloomberg)
President Donald Trump said Wednesday that the Iran war will end when he decides, while fielding questions from the White House press corps for the first time since Democrats' resounding midterm election victories. The post Trump: Iran War Will End ‘Whenever I Want It To’ appeared first on Breitbart .
Donald Trump’s crushing defeat in the US midterms over cost-of-living pressures is a warning for politicians closer to home Fascinating, isn’t it, that for all that Donald Trump has got away with, it’s arguably the cost of fuel that’s finally led to an absolute rout in the midterms. So many Americans held their noses at so many other things, but in the end his own decision-making on Iran will haunt the rest of his presidency. Continue reading...
Trump administration officials are now debating what to do next in Iran, with some arguing the president should double down on military strikes.
Douglas Holtz-Eakin, President of the American Action Forum, says Democrats taking control of both chambers is bad news for the U.S. fiscal outlook. He expects larger deficits as the White House and Congress negotiate spending, including possible extensions of enhanced health-insurance tax credits and additional defense and Iran-reconstruction funding, though he does not expect a major reconciliation package. He speaks with Vonnie Quinn on "The Close." (Source: Bloomberg)
President Donald Trump acknowledged Wednesday that the conflict with Iran cost Republicans votes in the midterm elections but insisted he would launch the military operation again, arguing that preventing Tehran from acquiring nuclear weapons outweighed the political consequences. The post Trump Admits Iran War Cost Republicans Votes, Insists: ‘I’d Do It Again’ appeared first on Breitbart .
WASHINGTON — The US has been moving forward with a plan for months to pull nearly $4 billion in annual aid from Israel starting in 2027, as President Trump weighs his next move in the war against Iran that cost him the midterms. Trump announced the withdrawal of billions of US direct aid on Tuesday...
Democrats swept into power in Congress on Tuesday, with outrage over the cost of living and the war in Iran leading to a thundering rebuke of President Donald Trump and his party just two years after his dominant White House comeback. Bloomberg's Josh Wingrove reports from Washington. Data center developers in Texas are facing their worst-case scenario under a newly elected Democratic governor. Bloomberg News Tech Reporter Brody Ford explains. Wall Street strategists are warning that the return of divided government could disrupt the bond market next year by setting the stage for a bruising fight over the debt ceiling. We hear from Maya MacGuineas of the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget. Plus - the prediction market industry had a strong election night performance of its own. We speak with Nicole Kagan, Researcher at Kalshi. All on the latest edition of Bloomberg Businessweek Daily. (Source: Bloomberg)
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth maintains President Donald Trump’s support but faces a tidal wave of opposition following the midterm elections, which could threaten his job security. Trump said the secretary is “doing a very good job” in his first public comments following the “bluenami” during a White House event on Wednesday. Nonetheless, Congressional Democrats […]
The party’s left flank argued they have a responsibility to carry out transformative change — not make excuses for inaction. The post The Progressive Agenda: End Iran War, Rein in AI, Get Dems to Actually Do Something appeared first on The Intercept .
Stocks surged, oil prices plunged and bond yields fell Wednesday on optimism around a quicker end to the Iran war now that Democrats have clinched control of Congress.
Robby Soave and Amber Duke recap the 2026 midterms and what they mean for future of the GOP.
Iran’s leaders say President Donald Trump shouldn’t ignore the stinging setback in the U.S. election
A Democratic romp has rocked the US political landscape, but several closely contested races remain too close to call.
JD Vance blamed the Iran war for the GOP's midterm losses and laid out four tasks he says will bring disaffected Republican voters back to the party.
Republicans woke up "in shock" Wednesday morning after they got hit with the biggest midterms wave in 50 years. Within hours, that shock was turning into rage. Why it matters: The battle for control of what's left of the Republican conference — headlined by Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) and Judiciary Chair Jim Jordan (R-Oho) — is the first salvo in a quest to bring GOP lawmakers back from the political wilderness. Johnson set the tone Wednesday morning, when he took himself out of the running for leader, citing the toll the job has taken on his family. A key outstanding question is the extent to which Republican finger-pointing leads to a wholesale shake-up of the party's leadership ranks, versus a slight readjustment. Driving the news: The intra-party blame game quickly hit a fever pitch. "Dear Republican Senate and House "Leadership," No, the polls were not wrong. You were. Even with record amounts of money at your disposal, you managed to get absolutely annihilated," Rep. Greg Steube (R-Fla.) wrote on X Wednesday morning. "Please do us all a favor and step aside so new leadership can take a truly conservative direction," Steube added. "When you have the worst defeat in modern history, you need a new playbook," another GOP lawmaker told Axios. State of play: The fallout is rippling across the entire House GOP leadership team, with every top position facing a contested race. Minority leader: Scalise and Jordan are squaring off in a rematch of their bitter 2023 battle for the speakership. Minority whip: Tom Emmer faces a challenge from Rep. August Pfluger (R-Texas). NRCC Chair: Rudy Yakym and Brian Jack will face off for the post. Current NRCC Chairman Richard Hudson (R-N.C.) is on track to lose his own reelection bid. Zoom in: Behind the leadership infighting, Republicans are reckoning with what went so disastrously wrong on Election Day, with some blaming the Trump administration's policies for their losses. "Iran, Iran, Iran ... we should have never done
