Trump Republican midterm election losses and political fallout, Digi Mart USA News: After what columnist Jon Sopel describes as arguably the worst night in the Republican Party’s history since Watergate more than half a century ago, Donald Trump’s attention appears fixed on the future, particularly on his ballroom, his helipad, a planned victory arch and the refurbishment of the Reflecting Pool.
Sopel argues that Trump’s conduct in the days around the midterm elections was puzzling. On the night before voting stations opened, Trump’s only public event was a news conference at the Reflecting Pool that focused on problems with green algae.
The day after Americans delivered what Sopel calls the most brutal repudiation of Trump’s presidency to date, Trump’s only public engagement was a tour of the ballroom construction site, where the historic East Wing of the White House was demolished to make room for the project. Trump asked reporters, “Have you seen the helipad?”
Sopel writes that Trump is increasingly behaving like Kublai Khan in his own Xanadu, showing more interest in building projects and applying gold paint and appliqués to White House walls and fixtures than in the struggles of ordinary Americans. He says these events would have seemed odd in a normal presidency and are especially striking given the scale of the midterm results.
Sopel uses the five stages of grief framework, describing the first three stages as shock, denial and anger. He argues that Trump was shocked by the scale of his party’s defeat, remains in denial that the American people have turned against him, and is now showing anger, including at members of his own administration.
Sopel says Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s position appears difficult to sustain, pointing to Hegseth’s role in the war with Iran, which he says most people believe cost the Republican Party dearly. He also reports that Secretary of State Marco Rubio is reportedly considering resigning.
Sopel notes that Vice President JD Vance broke with Trump over the war in Iran and acknowledged Republican failures to address voter concerns about the cost of living, which Sopel describes as audacious. He also says several Republicans, including Senator Ted Cruz and Governor Ron DeSantis, are looking toward 2028, with the apparent strategy of suggesting that Trump has betrayed the Make America Great Again movement’s principles rather than saying the movement itself is dead or was wrong.
Sopel argues that Trump remains dangerous and retains a tight grip on his base, though he is no longer as powerful as before. He predicts Trump will not endorse anyone until the last minute, since an endorsement would shift the spotlight away from Trump.
Sopel also identifies the economy, the war in Iran and perceptions of self-dealing and financial enrichment by Trump and those around him as major voter concerns, writing that many say Trump has become the swamp he promised to drain.
Sopel concludes that prospective successors face a dilemma: they need Trump’s endorsement to win the Republican nomination but may not win a general election if seen as his protege. As he puts it, they cannot win without him and cannot win with him.
Sopel adds: “Trump may be down, but he is far from out of the picture.”
