‘He needs to clean house’: Republicans want Trump to change course, overhaul team, reconsider policies after midterm loss

US midterm elections: Republican allies and strategists on Wednesday urged US President Donald Trump to change course, overhaul his White House team and reconsider policies such as the Iran war and tariffs after a midterm election rout handed Democrats control of Congress.

The defeat, which also saw voters reject Trump-backed candidates in key races, has raised concerns within the Republican Party about the political consequences of the president's agenda as his presidency enters its final years, as mentioned in a report in Reuters.

Veteran Republican strategist John Feehery described the results as a “huge disaster” for Trump and called for a major personnel shake-up. “He needs to clean house,” Feehery said, warning that the president would become increasingly politically weakened, as per the news agency.

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Trump, however, showed little inclination to change direction. Asked about the election outcome, he told Fox News that he did not view it as a personal setback.

He acknowledged on Wednesday that the Iran war had contributed to Republican losses, saying it had pushed up gasoline prices in the short term. But he defended the decision to launch the conflict, insisting he would do it again because preventing Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon was the “only answer” in the long term.

Trump also said the US had not made any mistakes in the war and claimed Iran's military capabilities had been largely destroyed. He maintained that oil was now flowing through the Strait of Hormuz, unlike at the beginning of the conflict.

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Vice President JD Vance, viewed as Trump's likely political successor, had earlier blamed the Iran war for the Republican defeat, appearing to distance himself from the president. Such divisions could become more common as party members assess Trump's weakening political position.

Inside the White House, senior aides are bracing for staff departures, possible Cabinet changes and investigations by Democrats, who will now be able to block legislation, scrutinise the administration and challenge nominees.

A senior White House official said internal polling had warned of losses in both chambers weeks before the election, but Trump had refused to change course on Iran.

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Republican advisers also expressed concern that voters were increasingly opposed to Trump's focus on the White House ballroom and renovations in Washington.

Despite the pressure, Trump defended the ballroom project during an impromptu visit to the construction site on Wednesday. He also ruled out replacing Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, saying he was “doing a great job”.