JD Vance Blames the Iran War for the Republicans' Midterm Defeat as Rift With Netanyahu Splits Trump's Team
WASHINGTON, Friday, November 6, 2026 — Vice President JD Vance has blamed the war with Iran for the Republicans' defeat in this week's midterm elections, declaring that "the reason we lost is the war," exposing a deep split inside President Donald Trump's administration over whether to strike Iran again or negotiate. Vance posted the assessment on X on Wednesday, 4 November, a day after Democrats won control of both chambers of Congress in the 3 November elections, according to the Associated Press. Axios then reported that Vance had privately accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of being "wrong on everything" about the war, had warned colleagues for months, and had led senior officials urging the president to negotiate. President Trump has conceded the war damaged his party, telling the Wall Street Journal that "Iran was a piece of it," while insisting: "I don't think about it. I did the right thing. I would have done i...