Trump Says Iran War, Gas Prices Contributed to GOP Losses

President Donald Trump said voter dissatisfaction with the Iran war and higher gasoline prices contributed to Republican losses in the midterm elections, while defending his decision to attack Iran and his administration’s economic record. He also cited what he described as opposition to Israel as a factor. His comments came in a 60 Minutes interview with Ross Douthat that aired after the elections.

Trump said he agreed with Vice President J.D. Vance’s postelection analysis, which identified ending the war, addressing the cost of living and inflation, putting America first, and changing the relationship with Israel as concerns among disaffected Republicans. Trump said he had told Vance to write what he wanted in a social media post outlining that analysis.

Asked whether he would make the decision to attack Iran again, Trump said he would, arguing that preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon justified the action. He said the decision might not be popular in the short term but would be viewed favorably over time. The interview did not independently establish how much the war or other issues contributed to the election results.

Trump also defended his economic record as...