Former President Donald Trump stated that he "couldn't transfer the love" his supporters hold for him to other Republican candidates, which he believes contributed to the party's losses in the recent midterm elections. In his first public remarks following the election, which saw Democrats secure control of the House of Representatives and the Senate, Trump asserted that if he had been on the ballot, Republicans would have won.
"If I were on the ballot, we would have won. You saw the people that were packed. Thousands and thousands of people at every rally. And if I was on the ballot, we would have won," Trump said during a ceremony to raise the final steel beam for a ballroom project. He added, "But they just... You couldn't transfer that love. There was such love at those rallies. It was incredible. And, we weren't able to transfer the love to candidates."
Trump also addressed criticism regarding the timing of his recent speech, stating it was a "very good speech" with "great reviews" and had "nothing to do with anything else." He indicated that he believed the conflict in Iran, which some Republicans cited as a factor in the election losses, was a necessary action.
"I think it's largely true because it drove the gasoline up a little bit short term and probably that's, probably it's true," Trump admitted when asked if Vice President JD Vance's assessment that the Iran war cost Republicans the election was accurate. "But at the same time, if I had it to do again, I'd have to do it again, because long term, it's the only answer. You can't let Iran have a nuclear war."
Despite the election results, Trump expressed a willingness to work with Democrats, unless they were "destructive." He also downplayed the possibility of impeachment proceedings against him or his Cabinet members, calling it something that "would destroy the Democrat Party."