Bored Panda works better on our iPhone app
Continue in app Continue in browser

The Bored Panda iOS app is live! Fight boredom with iPhones and iPads here.

Americans Stunned By Trump’s “Egotistical” Excuse For Republicans’ Midterm Wipeout
Donald Trump in a blue suit and red tie gesturing outdoors, discussing Republicans midterm wipeout in a speech.

Americans Stunned By Trump’s “Egotistical” Excuse For Republicans’ Midterm Wipeout

32

ADVERTISEMENT

Donald Trump spent weeks urging Americans to vote in the midterms as though his “own name were on the ballot.”

But after Democrats swept both chambers of Congress on Tuesday, November 3, the president had a rather different explanation for what went wrong.

His remarks quickly drew criticism, including from some voters who said they had supported him multiple times but were now “fed up” with his response.

Highlights
  • Donald Trump spent weeks making the midterm elections about himself, but his reaction to the Republican defeat left many Americans stunned.
  • Even longtime Trump supporters called his response “egotistical” and accused him of refusing to take responsibility for the Republican losses.
  • Democrats celebrated major victories as Republicans faced an uncertain future and growing questions about Trump's leadership.

One person reacted, “Denial won’t change the results. I’m just glad he has accepted the results.”

RELATED:

    Donald Trump’s Republican Party suffered a major defeat in the midterm elections, losing control of both chambers of Congress

    The White House

    The 2026 US midterm elections, held yesterday, delivered a significant blow to Donald Trump’s Republican Party, with Democrats winning control of both the House of Representatives and the Senate.

    ADVERTISEMENT

    The result marked a major shift in Washington, as Republicans lost the congressional majorities that had allowed Trump’s administration to advance its agenda with fewer obstacles.

    In the House, Democrats reportedly secured at least 224 seats, passing the 218 needed for a majority. 

    James Talarico

    The party also flipped several Republican-held Senate seats, including in traditionally conservative states such as Texas, Kansas, and South Carolina.

    Some of the most striking victories came in Texas, where Democrat James Talarico defeated Republican Ken Paxton, and South Carolina, where Annie Andrews beat Darline Graham.

    Democrats also secured victories in North Carolina and Ohio, adding to the scale of the Republican setback.

    ADVERTISEMENT

    CBS News

    When the new Congress takes office in January 2027, Democrats will control committee leadership and have greater authority to scrutinize the administration, launch investigations, and block legislation they oppose.

    Trump, however, will remain president until his term ends in January 2029, although he will have to govern with Democrats controlling both chambers.

    Rather than directly taking responsibility for the party’s losses, Trump took to Truth Social with an explanation that quickly became a talking point.

    Trump immediately took to Truth Social and offered a major “excuse” to distance himself from the election losses

    ADVERTISEMENT

    realDonaldTrump/Truth Social

    His full post read, “I wasn’t on the Ballot, and if I was, we would have won IN A LANDSLIDE! Thank you for your attention to this matter.”

    The statement came after weeks of campaigning in which the president had repeatedly urged supporters to treat the midterms as though he were personally running.

    ADVERTISEMENT

    At a rally in Syracuse, New York, on October 9, Trump reportedly told the crowd, “In this election, I’m asking you to do me a favor, just pretend I’m on the ballot.”

    He went even further at an October rally in Georgia, telling supporters: “In this election, I’m asking you to – you have to pretend I’m on the ballot.”

    FOX 11 Los Angeles

    DreamMasterFTW

    ADVERTISEMENT

    TraderJane8

    That is what made his post-election explanation particularly striking to critics. 

    One commenter, who said they had voted for Trump three times, wrote, “This is the most egotistical, arrogant bull**it I’ve heard, and I’m a 3-time Trump voter. The right lost because they stopped putting America first.”

    ADVERTISEMENT

    Another person echoed the frustration, writing, “We voted exactly as if you were on the ballot!”

    The White House

    “If you’re posting about yourself, I would imagine it would be best to take the blame and not brag about yourself,” a third user said.

    Another comment read, “I voted for him 3 times as well, and I can NOT wait until he is long gone.”

    Meanwhile, some celebrated the Democratic victory, declaring, “America understood the assignment! Bravo America”

    ADVERTISEMENT

    Joshua Lott/Getty Images

    TheFiresto88587

    ADVERTISEMENT

    kittenstormer

    “It’s insane. Wherever he went to campaign, they are losing miserably. People hate him.”

    Trump later struck a more conciliatory tone in an interview with The New York Times, saying he was “absolutely willing to accept those results.”

    “We’ll work with the Democrats, and we’ll, you know, look forward to working with them. We’ll probably work something out,” he added.

    ADVERTISEMENT

    The White House

    Democratic politicians also used the results to underline the scale of the political shift.

    Georgia Senator Jon Ossoff, who won reelection, called the Trump administration a “failed lame duck” during his victory speech.

    “If at times these last two years, amidst the ceaseless onslaught of brutality and decency, you doubted if our republic would survive, let tonight’s results give you courage that the first light of dawn is on the horizon,” Ossoff told supporters.

    Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

    Meanwhile, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis had already criticized the Republican approach to the election before the results came in. 

    ADVERTISEMENT

    Speaking ahead of Election Day, he accused Republicans of “gaslighting” voters by refusing to acknowledge the economic pressures they were facing.

    “I totally voted as Trump urged us to, as if he were on the ballot! And I love the results tonight,” quipped one netizen

    ADVERTISEMENT

    CourtneyLarsen1

    TXLeftLib

    Cindydogluver

    ADVERTISEMENT

    NeilGerardo

    ADVERTISEMENT

    puremonee1

    RudyBrownsfla

    araTHEwriter

    ADVERTISEMENT

    Jehoseph

    ADVERTISEMENT

    rknight65

    Justanamtologon

    S_keshari13

    ADVERTISEMENT

    SeeingEyeBat

    ADVERTISEMENT

    Chrishenrywang1

    dippitydo4

    SlyKarizma

    ADVERTISEMENT

    patrickhfeeney

    ADVERTISEMENT

    RobinAJohansen

    DanielP216094

    rxncap

    ADVERTISEMENT

    Jerseygirl345

    ADVERTISEMENT

    Quaker2001

    Poll Question

    Total votes ·

    Thanks! Check out the results:

    Total votes ·
    Share on Facebook

    Explore more of these tags

    Amita Kumari
    Amita Kumari

    Writer, News Writer

    Read more »

    This lazy panda forgot to write something about itself.

    Read less »
    Amita Kumari
    Amita Kumari

    Writer, News Writer

    This lazy panda forgot to write something about itself.

    What do you think ?
    KatSaidThat
    Community Member
    48 minutes ago

    UK woke up to good news for a change.

    Janissary35680
    Community Member
    Premium
    46 minutes ago

    The whole world did.

    Load More Replies...
    Annik Perrot
    Community Member
    1 hour ago

    Well done, people!

    Crystalwitch60
    Community Member
    1 hour ago

    Funniest thing on the news this morning🤣🤣🤣 omg even the hardened maggots are waking up to his cruel narcissistic delusional racist ways ,and have had enough of starving ,losing homes etc ,vote like I’m on the ballot he says DONE ! one thinks when he said if I was on the ballot we would have won in a landslide,he’s trying to convince HIMSELF people still want him in power lmao newsflash THEY DONT !! as for all the I,ll just veto anything the dems put though ,yeah no you wont, pretty sure that would be illegal !! he will however be looked into and audited now not before time GO DEMOCRATS👍 YOU GOT THIS LOL .

    Load More Comments
    KatSaidThat
    Community Member
    48 minutes ago

    UK woke up to good news for a change.

    Janissary35680
    Community Member
    Premium
    46 minutes ago

    The whole world did.

    Load More Replies...
    Annik Perrot
    Community Member
    1 hour ago

    Well done, people!

    ADVERTISEMENT
    Crystalwitch60
    Community Member
    1 hour ago

    Funniest thing on the news this morning🤣🤣🤣 omg even the hardened maggots are waking up to his cruel narcissistic delusional racist ways ,and have had enough of starving ,losing homes etc ,vote like I’m on the ballot he says DONE ! one thinks when he said if I was on the ballot we would have won in a landslide,he’s trying to convince HIMSELF people still want him in power lmao newsflash THEY DONT !! as for all the I,ll just veto anything the dems put though ,yeah no you wont, pretty sure that would be illegal !! he will however be looked into and audited now not before time GO DEMOCRATS👍 YOU GOT THIS LOL .

    Load More Comments
    Related on Bored Panda
    Popular on Bored Panda
    Trending on Bored Panda
    Also on Bored Panda
    ADVERTISEMENT