President Donald Trump congratulated Democrats following a challenging Election Day for Republicans, expressing his intention to collaborate with the opposition for the nation's benefit. The Fox News Decision Desk projected Democratic victories, granting the party control of both the House and the Senate.
"My message is congratulations to the Democrats, and I look forward to working with you for the good of our country," Trump told CBS News on Tuesday night. Earlier in the day, Trump had warned of potential vetoes for Democratic legislation if Republicans lost power, but his tone shifted after the election results became clear.
Trump also indicated a willingness to engage, noting, "I think they're gonna want to work with me. Otherwise, I'd just veto everything, and they're not gonna want that." He previously emphasized his veto power as a means to encourage negotiation, suggesting that a series of vetoes could lead to bipartisan compromise.
Republicans experienced losses in key races nationwide. Trump attributed some of the outcomes to his own absence from the ballot. "I feel that I wasn't on the ballot, and there was nothing that could be done about that. If I was, we would have won," he stated. He also suggested that voter disaffection with certain candidates, some of whom he considered not to be his allies, contributed to the results.
During live election-night coverage, Trump reiterated his plan to utilize the veto power to block legislation he deemed unfavorable. "It's one of the stronger powers that a president has," he told Bret Baier on "Special Report." "And they'll send over things that are insane and I'll veto them. And after a couple of months of vetoes, they'll go out, and they'll say, 'How do we get this stuff done? And we'll work together.' You know, I have a lot of friends that are Democrats, believe it or not, I've already spoken to some of them."