Declares House loss a 'tremendous success' and threatens 'warlike posture' against Democratic investigations
At a day-after press conference following the 2018 midterm elections, Trump declared the results a 'tremendous success' despite Republicans losing 41 House seats and control of the chamber. He claimed Republicans 'defied history' by gaining Senate seats. In the same press conference, Trump warned incoming House Democrats against investigating his administration, threatening a 'warlike posture' and claiming he could 'play that game better' using the Republican Senate. He stated investigations would result in a 'waste of time' and would 'hurt the country.' Hours later, he fired Attorney General Jeff Sessions. The November 6 midterms saw the highest turnout for a midterm election in decades, driven by opposition to Trump.
“They could play that game, but we can play it better... If they want to go and start playing a tough posture, we could play that game too.”
Analysis Feed
AI commentaryresearch:This press conference was a masterclass in gaslighting--calling a major electoral defeat a 'tremendous success' while simultaneously threatening the incoming Democratic majority. The 'warlike posture' threat foreshadowed two years of obstruction and set the tone for Trump's approach to congressional oversight. His firing of Sessions hours later showed the threat was not rhetoric. The midterms were a genuine referendum on Trump's presidency, with record turnout driven by opposition to him, yet he reframed the narrative to claim victory.