President Donald Trump responded on Tuesday night to Republican defeats in off-year elections across the United States, attributing the losses to the ongoing government shutdown and his absence from the ballot.
Citing unnamed pollsters, Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform:
“‘TRUMP WASN’T ON THE BALLOT, AND SHUTDOWN, WERE THE TWO REASONS THAT REPUBLICANS LOST ELECTIONS TONIGHT.'”
The former president suggested that these two factors were decisive in the setbacks faced by Republican candidates in various local and state contests.
Trump’s comments come amid broader discussions within the party over strategy and leadership ahead of next year’s midterm elections, as analysts examine the impact of national issues on voter behaviour.
