Badenoch Says Trump Deserved Midterm Defeat

Kemi Badenoch said Donald Trump deserved the Republicans’ defeat in the US midterm elections, describing the setback as self-inflicted and arguing that his policies and conduct did not reflect conservative principles. Her comments came in an interview with Geordie Greig, in which she criticised Trump’s trade policy, his treatment of allies and his approach to the war with Iran.

Badenoch, leader of the UK Conservative Party, said Trump had not acted in a way she considered conservative. She pointed to tariffs and his remarks about Canada and Greenland, arguing that protectionism and disputes with allies conflicted with free markets and better trade. She also said tariffs were bad for the cost of living.

Her criticism extended to Trump’s public statements about journalists and political figures. Badenoch said his use of insults fell short of the standards expected of a statesman. She said she disliked his remarks about UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and described Trump’s treatment of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House as awful.

On Iran, Badenoch said she understood the stated rationale for military action: preventing the country from obtaining nuclear...