Republicans are increasingly blaming Trump behind closed doors for putting their party at risk of major losses in Tuesday’s midterm elections, as his military aggression against Iran, economic policies and increasingly unpopular domestic agenda fuel voter dissatisfaction across the United States.
Despite growing frustration within the Republican Party, few lawmakers have been willing to challenge Trump publicly, reflecting his continued grip on the party and the political risks of opposing him.
“There was a point earlier this year where we really felt like we could defy history. And then Trump bombed Iran. And it was just one thing after another,” one House Republican said, describing how the administration’s military escalation derailed the party’s electoral prospects.
Republican candidates are now struggling in several critical battleground states, with polls showing them tied or trailing Democrats in races previously considered secure.
The consequences of Trump’s decision to launch military aggression against Iran have extended beyond foreign policy, contributing to higher fuel and fertilizer prices and increasing economic pressure on American households, farmers and businesses. Republicans fear the fallout could undermine their candidates, particularly across the Midwest.
The administration’s trade policies have also intensified concerns in states bordering Canada, including Maine and Michigan, while its aggressive deportation campaign and restrictions on immigration protections have alienated voters in Arizona, Texas and Florida.
One Florida-based Republican operative said Trump had effectively turned against communities that had strongly supported him, criticizing the administration’s treatment of Miami voters.
Meanwhile, Republican lawmakers have privately pressed the White House to reverse unpopular policies, including tariffs and measures affecting agricultural imports. However, their efforts have produced limited results.
Dissatisfaction is also growing over Trump’s priorities and campaign strategy, with party insiders accusing him of concentrating more on his political legacy than addressing the economic and political consequences of his decisions.
“He cares more about the ballroom than he cares about Republicans winning the midterms,” one Republican strategist said, adding that Trump’s pursuit of a Nobel Peace Prize and other legacy-defining ambitions appeared to have taken precedence over governing.
Privately, some Republicans have been even more direct about the US president’s responsibility for the party’s difficulties.
“We all know who the problem is. It’s Trump. And do we continue down a path of losing?” another Republican strategist said.
A recent POLITICO poll found that 29 percent of Republican midterm voters would blame Trump if the party performed worse than in 2024, while 30 percent attributed the potential decline to his absence from the ballot.
The growing internal divisions suggest that a major Republican defeat could intensify criticism of Trump and deepen the struggle over the party’s future as his presidency approaches its final phase.
One Republican operative offered a blunt assessment of the consequences of a major electoral defeat: “Thank you, Donald Trump.”