Trump links Republican midterm defeat to Iran war and petrol costs

US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that the Iran war’s effect on petrol prices had probably helped cause Republican midterm losses. Speaking at the White House, he said he would still make the same choice on Iran.

Democrats won control of the House and Senate in Tuesday’s vote, Deutsche Welle reported. Vice President JD Vance blamed the defeat on the war in a post.

In Spain, the Ministry for Ecological Transition put average petrol prices at €1.712 a litre on the fourth of November. Its data put diesel at €1.892. The figures record pump prices; they do not forecast what drivers will pay next.

Trump said Vance’s view of the defeat was “largely true”, Deutsche Welle reported. He said the war had pushed up petrol costs, but described the rise as small and short term.

The president argued that his choice was the right one for the long term. He said Iran could not be allowed to have a nuclear weapon.

His account to Fox News put the stress on fuel costs rather than the war itself. Euronews quoted Trump as saying he thought petrol prices, rather than the war, were to blame. He said voters backed his moves on Iran but did not want to pay more at the pump.

Trump also said he was not weighing the dismissal of Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth. He praised Hegseth’s work, Deutsche Welle reported.

CBS News, citing people familiar with the matter, separately reported that Trump had asked aides whether Hegseth should stay. Those accounts concern private talks; Trump’s public position was that he was not considering firing him.

Hegseth has backed the US and Israeli campaign against Iran and clashed with Democrats over the defence budget, Deutsche Welle reported.

Trump told Fox News that Democrats had fought hard and praised their campaign. He said he was ready to work with them, but warned against moves to impeach him.

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he hoped the Democratic gains would lead to more US support for Ukraine. That was his stated hope, rather than a change in aid already announced.