Donald Trump was reportedly "stunned into silence" as he watched television coverage of the midterm election results in his private room with loyal aide Natalie Harp, according to claims reported by the Daily Mail. The 80-year-old president is said to have been "paralysed by fury" as the results came in, with his wife Melania not present as he fumed privately with Harp and chief of staff Susie Wiles.
Democrats sweep control of Congress
The trio were reportedly glued to Fox News coverage of what was described as a "Blue Tsunami" as aides and staff gathered downstairs for a watch party. The mood turned sour as seat after seat flipped from Republican to Democrat, with angry voters turning out in large numbers to deliver a rebuke to the president.
As trays of Cheesecake Factory finger food remained untouched, White House staffers filed out of the East Room and headed to a nearby bar. One insider told the Daily Mail: "It's very, very dark in the residence. It's a dark scene. He's watching Fox News barely uttering a word and paralyzed into silence."
Blame and fallout among Republican ranks
A senior Trump official said longtime communications strategist Jason Miller was "sweating and panicking" as the losses mounted. Those close to Trump believe some senior MAGA figures could face consequences for the results. A Trump ally told the Mail: "Tonight would have looked very different without the Iran War. I believe you'll ultimately see POTUS hold Hegseth accountable."
Another top official blamed the defeat on Marco Rubio's State Department, while a top Republican Party donor said: "Rubio is over. Though that's maybe also true for all Republicans who touched Trump's foreign policy." Democrats won upset after upset in deep-red states including Texas, Kansas and South Carolina.
Republicans turn on Trump
Many Republicans have begun to turn on Trump, arguing that his focus on his legacy and indifference to voter concerns cost the party control of Congress. Bill Miller, a top Republican lobbyist in Texas, told the BBC: "It's on him. It's not on anybody else. It's a total, complete rejection of President Trump."
Trump, who had told Americans to "pretend he was on the ballot," remained publicly silent for much of the night before posting on Truth Social after the House and Senate were called for Democrats: "I wasn't on the Ballot and if I was, we would have won IN A LANDSLIDE! Thank you for your attention to this matter."
