Seismic political change is coming to Washington, D.C., and as Republicans sift through the wreckage that was Election Night, fingers are pointing in several directions over who’s to blame.

The blue tsunami Tuesday tore the GOP’s coalition asunder, flipping the balance of power in both chambers heading into the final two years of the Trump administration. And as Republicans search for where things went awry, GOP operatives and insiders told Digital that it starts at the top with President Donald Trump.

«Look, first and foremost, this is a Trump loss,» Dan Eberhart, an oil drilling chief executive officer and prominent Republican donor, told Digital. «He wanted to be — he wanted people to consider him on the ballot. And unfortunately, as a Republican, that’s what we got.»

LIZ PEEK: THERE MAY BE A SILVER LINING IN TRUMP’S BRUTAL MIDTERM DEFEAT

In the Senate, Democrats scored seven pickups on Election Night, with outstanding races in Alaska and Mississippi still waiting to be called. And in the House, Democrats roared back into power with 27 pickups, and with several races still outstanding.

The Iran war, ignoring the economic hurt squeezing voters, attacking sitting Republicans and more are on the list of grievances from Republicans reeling in the days after.

The Senate map, in particular, was at one point favorable for Republicans and viewed as an uphill battle for Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and Democrats to put a dent in the GOP’s thin, 53-seat majority.

But Trump’s decision to go on a «primary revenge tour and antagonizing senators,» a GOP aide told Digital, among several other issues, opened up the field for Democrats to pounce.

Indeed, Trump’s handpicked candidates were pummeled in races that were once safe bets for Republicans.

DEM FLIPS KEY SENATE SEAT IN BATTLEGROUND NORTH CAROLINA AS COOPER DEFEATS TRUMP ALLY

His backing of Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, Sen. Darline Graham, R-S.C., and fight with Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., last year that ultimately led to his retirement and created an opening for Democrats in the Tar Heel State, proved fatal for the GOP, coupled with stunning losses in Maine, Kansas, Ohio and Iowa, kneecapped any chances Republicans had of keeping power in the upper chamber.

«Trump ignored affordability completely,» another Republican aide told Digital. «Ousted good members a la Cornyn, Tillis who knew how to win tough races, and poisoned the base’s opinion of our majority with his SAVE Act/filibuster bull—-.»

«We had a great map, and he hijacked [it],» they continued.

In the House, where Democrats are on pace to potentially win upward of 250 seats, Power Rankings projected that Trump’s tariffs and the war in Iran were significant drivers for voting blocs leaving the GOP.

TRUMP’S GAMBLE ON KEN PAXTON BACKFIRES AS DEMOCRAT PULLS OFF HISTORIC TEXAS SENATE UPSET

One House Republican complained that GOP leaders were too focused on «bluster» rather than «doing the job,» though they did not mention Trump by name.

«All the name changes were so unnecessary — Gulf of America, Lake of America, Department of War,» the GOP lawmaker said.

A second House Republican rattled off a lengthy list of shortcomings, including the quality and character of «certain candidates,» Trump’s immigration enforcement, tariffs, general affordability issues, historic midterm headwinds, and «departure from traditional conservatism in favor of populism.»

Meanwhile, people in Trump’s orbit blamed the candidates themselves.

Trump outside advisor Alex Bruesewitz posted on X that «most Republican candidates this cycle were uninspiring, lazy, and thoroughly ineffective communicators.»

«I’m not all that surprised by some of these outcomes,» he said.

Meanwhile, some are expecting a massive shift in Trump’s base of support in Congress as he heads toward a lame duck likely punctuated by investigations and stalled agendas.

«I think Trump being a lame duck starts today,» Eberhart said. «You know, if I’m up in the [2028] cycle, I’m waking up today, I’m against the arch. I’m against the ballroom. I want space from Trump.»

politics, donald trump, republicans elections, midterm elections, senate, house of representatives

La izquierda y el progresismo recibieron dos grandes noticias en los últimos 10 días. Primero fue el triunfo de Lula da Silva en Brasil y la huida de Flávio Bolsonaro a EE.UU. acosado por varias causas judiciales. Ahora se sumó la contundente derrota de Donald Trump y su Partido Republicano en las elecciones de medio término en Estados Unidos.

La sensación que impera en referentes del progresismo latinoamericano y europeo es que finalmente se detuvo lo que parecía un irrefrenable avance de la ultraderecha en los últimos años.

“Beautiful morning!!!”, resumió la expresidente Cristina Kirchner desde Uruguay 1111, con una chicana en inglés de la famosa frase de Guillermo Francela viralizada hasta el hartazgo en las redes sociales (“Hermosa mañana, verdad?)”.

Pero estas dos elecciones (las presidenciales en Brasil y la de medio término en Estados Unidos) no significan el fin de lo que hasta ahora era considerada una marcha arrolladora de la derecha radical en la región y en Europa.

España será el próximo escenario electoral. Allí la derecha tradicional del Partido Popular (PP) y el ultraderechista Vox buscan desbancar al jefe de gobierno socialista Pedro Sánchez en las elecciones anticipadas del 29 del noviembre.

En un mensaje en X, Sánchez dijo que los estadounidenses votaron “contra el odio. Contra el machismo. Contra el negacionismo climático y contra los privilegios de las élites. Ocurrió en Brasil”. “Acaba de ocurrir en EEUU. Y ocurrirá pronto en España”, escribió.

Pero las dudas son grandes. Y no solo en ese país. La ultraderecha avanza en Portugal, Alemania y Francia, donde aspira llegar al gobierno en abril próximo con Marine Le Pen.

En la Argentina, el 24 de octubre de 2027 será la fecha para decidir entre la continuidad del modelo libertario de Javier Milei o un cambio de rumbo.

¿Un cambio de paradigma?

La derecha, la tradicional y la radical, viene avanzando a paso firme en cada país de la región. Argentina, Chile, Paraguay, Bolivia, Perú, Ecuador y Colombia están hoy gobernados por presidentes de esa tendencia ideológica.

Solo el Brasil de Lula y el Uruguay de Yamandú Orsi mantienen su inclinación a la izquierda. Venezuela, bajo la bota de Trump, vive su propio modelo de transición y dependencia.

La durísima derrota de Trump fue recibida con esperanza en la izquierda internacional e incluso por gobiernos europeos como el de Noruega (laborista, socialdemócrata).

Su canciller, Espen Barth Eide, dijo que la mayoría de los estadounidenses había enviado un mensaje claro: “Ya han tenido suficiente de MAGA y ahora quieren un rumbo distinto. Basta de polarización”.

Trump

President Donald Trump stood by War Secretary Pete Hegseth Wednesday, saying he was doing «a very good job» even as current and former administration figures continued to question how long the Pentagon chief could remain in his post after Republicans’ bruising midterm losses.

«I think he’s doing a very good job,» Trump said Wednesday when asked by the media whether he was considering replacing Hegseth.

The public support came a day after Democrats secured majorities in both chambers of Congress in Tuesday’s midterm elections, setting the stage for a shift in power on Capitol Hill in January. 

The Iran war and its economic fallout loomed large in the election, with Hegseth among the administration’s most vocal advocates for the campaign. His future remains the subject of speculation among current and former administration figures despite Trump’s public backing.

TRUMP PLEDGES TO VETO ‘INSANE’ DEM BILLS, PINPOINTS ISSUE PARTIALLY TO BLAME FOR REPUBLICAN LOSSES

A White House official told Digital Tuesday that the election results «would have looked very different without the Iran War.» The official predicted Trump would ultimately hold Hegseth, a former host, accountable, saying, «That will play out in the lame duck.»

«Hegseth is on the chopping block,» a former White House staffer told Digital later Tuesday of Hegseth’s future.

An administration official said there were «signs» Hegseth could be ousted but added that «Trump can turn on a dime.» The official said the possibility had been discussed for some time, though «only Trump knows what he’s gonna do.»

«It was clear Bessent became the go-to after Pete couldn’t deliver an Iran victory,» the source said, referring to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who led the sanctions campaign against Iran known as Operation Economic Outcast.

Beyond the Iran war, Hegseth also championed a plan to livestream the firing-squad execution of Nidal Hasan, the former Army major who killed 13 people and wounded 32 others at Fort Hood in 2009. The proposal drew bipartisan backlash before Trump ultimately scrapped the livestream, while leaving Hasan’s execution in place.

A foreign policy source with ties to Hegseth expressed doubt to Digital that the secretary will remain in the job through the end of the year. The source said Republican Kentucky Rep. Thomas Massie’s impeachment push could force Republicans eyeing 2028 re-election bids to «saddle themselves with a pro-Hegseth vote.»

GOP SEN THOM TILLIS URGES TRUMP TO REPLACE PETE HEGSETH, BLASTS PENTAGON LEADERSHIP

Hegseth has faced criticism over his prominent role in the Iran war, which has continued to generate political and economic fallout long after the White House’s initial three- to four-week timeline. He was among the administration’s most vocal defenders of the campaign, declaring in March that the U.S. was carrying out «our retribution» against Iran.

Although sustained U.S. strikes have ended, tensions with Tehran remain unresolved with lingering concerns about Iran’s nuclear and missile capabilities and the possibility of renewed military action.

Renewed U.S. military strikes against Iran remain under serious consideration by the White House, sources told Digital.

That possibility could weigh against an immediate change at the Pentagon. Installing new leadership as the administration considers renewed military operations would create uncertainty at a critical moment, while Hegseth has already demonstrated a willingness to move quickly in carrying out Trump’s military directives.

Chief Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell told Digital Hegseth remains «100% committed to leading the Department until the end of President Trump’s term in office.»

«Secretary Hegseth will not back down or be deterred by politicians seeking to score partisan points or launch phony investigations where no wrongdoing exists,» Parnell said.

«The Department of War has followed the law, and our secretary will continue to stand and fight every single day to support and defend the Constitution, lead our troops and protect America. We will continue to drive President Trump’s agenda at the Department of War despite threats of sham witch hunts from Democrats.»

Democrats have signaled that Hegseth will be a focus of the incoming Congress. Before the election, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said Democrats would «run Pete Hegseth out of town» if they won the House. Democrats have also discussed investigations into the Iran war and Pentagon leadership, with impeachment among the options.

Scrutiny from Democrats could keep Hegseth and the war he has championed at the center of the administration’s political troubles.

Massie, R-Ky., has separately vowed to force a vote on his impeachment resolution during the lame-duck session if Hegseth remains in office.

DEM FLIPS KEY SENATE SEAT IN BATTLEGROUND NORTH CAROLINA AS COOPER DEFEATS TRUMP ALLY

As war secretary, Hegseth pushed sweeping changes to military culture, including banning transgender service members; eliminating diversity, equity and inclusion programs; and imposing uniform combat fitness standards for men and women. He also sought to overhaul the Pentagon bureaucracy by consolidating Army commands, cutting senior military leadership and expanding the use of artificial intelligence and advanced weapons technology.

His tenure has also been marked by controversy, including the sharing of sensitive details about planned strikes against Houthi militants in Signal chats that inadvertently included a journalist. Internal infighting, leak investigations and the dismissal of several top aides have fueled scrutiny, though Trump has repeatedly defended his leadership.

The political pressure on Hegseth echoes a past moment when midterm losses and an unpopular war put a defense secretary’s future in question.

On Nov. 8, 2006, President George W. Bush announced Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld’s resignation, one day after Republicans suffered major midterm election losses amid growing criticism of the Iraq War.

donald trump, pete hegseth, war with iran, politics