Vance publicly blames Iran war for Republican election defeat, a sharp break with Trump

▲ Escalating

Vance blames Iran war for Republican midterm defeat, breaking with Trump

In the latest developments, on Wednesday, BBC News reported that Vice-President JD Vance publicly blamed the Iran war for the Republican midterm losses, described as one of the sharpest breaks with a sitting president in recent memory. The Guardian reports Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth faces pressure, and Thomas Massie has filed eight articles of impeachment. Democrats won both the House and the Senate on Tuesday, while the Alaska and Mississippi Senate races remain uncalled.

• Trump conceded Democrats did well and said the Iran war may have played a role, but did not take personal responsibility.
• Democrats flipped Senate seats including Texas (James Talarico over Ken Paxton), Maine (Troy Jackson over Susan Collins), Ohio (Sherrod Brown) and South Carolina (Annie Andrews).
• Democrats also won governorships in Texas, Ohio, California, Georgia and New Mexico, while Republican Byron Donalds won in Florida.
• Incoming House oversight chair Robert Garcia told Trump and Republicans to 'lawyer up', and Speaker Mike Johnson reportedly will not seek the minority leader post.