'Iran Part Of It': Trump Lists Reasons For Republican Losses

US President Donald Trump offered rare praise for rival Democrats as he congratulated them on their stunning victory in the US midterm election, as he partially blamed the Iran war for widespread Republican losses. The American commander-in-chief, however, maintained that he didn't regret launching the war earlier this year. 

"Well, I say this: congratulations to the Democrats. They did a good job. They've been looking for this one for 11 years, and they finally got it. But I don't view it as a hit on me," Trump said in a telephone interview with FOX News Democracy 26.

"I can work with them on many things," he added.

The complimentary comments were highly unusual for Trump, who spent much of the midterms campaign branding Democrats as everything from communists to Islamists.

Iran War

When asked whether the war in Iran contributed to Republicans' poor performance in the election, Trump acknowledged that the stalled conflict had contributed to the result.

"I think a part of it was Iran, but at the same time, people understood the importance of what I've done with Iran," Trump told Fox.

Trump Accepts Defeat

Trump also reiterated that, unlike his 2020 presidential election loss, he accepted the vote results and was ready to work with Democrats now that they will control Congress. 

"I am absolutely willing to accept those results," he told The New York Times. "We'll work with the Democrats, and we'll, you know, look forward to working with them. We'll probably work something out."

But the 80-year-old refused to take any personal responsibility for the result that upended the final two years of his presidency, instead trying to shift the blame to his fellow Republicans.

"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," Trump said in a post on his Truth Social platform.

The 'Veto' Threat

Trump also warned he was ready to use his executive power to veto any Democratic legislation he felt like. "They can send over, you know, 50 different great bills that they're all excited about, and I send them back with a nice stamp -- 'veto.'"

'The Poll Pundit'

Trump posted later that he was going to "become a political pundit" and give the reasons why Republicans lost.

First in his crosshairs was Greg Abbott, the loyal Texas governor unseated by Democrat Gina Hinojosa. Trump said that if Abbott hadn't become a "RINO" (Republican In Name Only) "he wouldn't have lost."

Many of them Trump had hand-picked and travelled across the country to rally support for -- even lavishing praise, in one case, on the "ass" of Republican Ohio Senate candidate Jon Husted.