A gloomy atmosphere prevailed at the White House after the election - media
In the US midterm elections, the Republicans lost their majority in both houses of Congress. According to The Daily Mail, the defeat sparked Donald Trump's anger and created a gloomy atmosphere in the White House.
A somber mood has emerged in the White House following the election — Media
The defeat of the Republicans in the US congressional midterm elections has dampened spirits in the White House.
"A very depressed atmosphere prevails in the residence. The situation is difficult," a senior official told the publication.
According to preliminary midterm election results, the Democratic Party has won majorities in both houses of the US Congress. Democrats secured 241 seats in the House of Representatives and 54 seats in the Senate. A majority requires 218 seats in the lower house and 51 seats in the upper house.
Donald Trump became the first president in the last 20 years to have his party lose both houses of Congress at once as a result of a midterm election (the last time this happened was with George W. Bush in 2006).
As the scale of the Republicans' defeat became clear, Trump did not hide his anger and barely spoke to those around him, the publication wrote.
"He's watching Fox News almost without saying a word, as if paralyzed by silence," a source close to the president told The Daily Mail.
As the extent of the Republican defeat became apparent, Trump supporters began leaving the party organized in the East Room of the White House to watch the vote counting. First, senior administration officials left, followed by some members of the Cabinet. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who was present at the beginning of the evening, later vanished from sight.
By late evening, around the time it became clear that the Democrats had won the House of Representatives, the hall was almost empty. Some staff members left not only the party, but the White House altogether, heading to nearby bars in Washington.
At the same time, senior White House officials were quick to name the individuals they hold responsible for the electoral defeat — Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth.
"If there hadn't been a war with Iran, tonight would have been completely different. I believe that ultimately the President of the United States will hold Hegseth accountable," one official told the publication. Another source for the newspaper stated that Rubio's political career is most likely over. In his opinion, this might also apply to other Republicans who influenced Trump's foreign policy.