President Donald Trump defended the Iran attack as Democrats were projected to win both chambers of Congress, and listed the war, fuel costs and candidate choices among reasons Republicans lost.
The Associated Press and CBS News projected Democrats to control the House and Senate. CBS News said Sunday that vote counts were still pending in more than 20 House contests and two Senate races. The projected majority would give Democrats more scope to investigate the administration, oppose parts of Trump's legislative program and reject nominees, the AP said.
Trump spoke with CBS News at the White House on Friday, Nov. 6, for a 60 Minutes segment that aired Sunday, Nov. 8. Asked about Vice President JD Vance's view that the Iran war contributed to the defeat, Trump said he did not disagree. He said preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon justified the military action. Asked whether he would make the same decision again, Trump replied, “My answer is an emphatic yes.”
Trump also cited dissatisfaction with some Republican candidates and poor communication about what he described as a strong economy. The AP Voter Poll, conducted by SSRS for AP and other news organizations, found about two-thirds of respondents considered Trump's policies damaging to the economy. Respondents also connected him with tariffs and the war with Iran, and regarded his earlier promise to lower prices as unfulfilled.
Price data offered different snapshots. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported the Consumer Price Index was 3.7% above its year-earlier level in September. Its seasonally adjusted gasoline index recorded a 9.1% increase for September versus August. The American Automobile Association (AAA) put regular gasoline at an average of $4.10 a gallon across the country on Nov. 5, 12 cents below its reading a week earlier.
Trump said immigration enforcement may have hurt him politically when workers with jobs were deported. “I think it might be too tough, yeah,” he told CBS. He said he would consider a deal with Democrats for some people who had lived in the United States for 10 or 15 years, but gave no eligibility terms.
The BLS is scheduled to release the October Consumer Price Index report Tuesday, Nov. 10, at 8:30 a.m. ET.
