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Former President Donald Trump is reportedly “fuming” over the midterm results, as at least 14 of his endorsed GOP candidates lost to their Democratic counterparts in elections this week.
Sources who were present at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida, say that the former president was visibly upset by the losses of candidates he endorsed. Trump’s losses coincide with a successful night for his Republican rival, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who cruised to reelection on Tuesday. Gerrymandered districts drawn up by DeSantis’s office also resulted in congressional wins for the party.
Some of Trump’s allies have begun to express concerns that they may be backing the wrong person going forward. “This is a sinking ship,” a Trump aide said to ABC News.
“This was the end of the Trump era and the dawn of the DeSantis era,” another Republican source said. “Like every other Trump catastrophe, he did this to himself with stupid and reckless decisions.”
According to CNN’s Jim Acosta, who spoke to sources with knowledge of Trump’s demeanor, the former president is “livid” over his endorsements losing and is “screaming at everyone.”
These reports were also confirmed by New York Times reporter Maggie Haberman, who has reported on Trump for years.
“Trump is indeed furious this morning, particularly about [Pennsylvania Republican Senate candidate] Mehmet Oz, and is blaming everyone who advised him to back Oz — including his wife, describing it as not her best decision, according to people close to him,” Haberman wrote.
At a campaign rally earlier this week, Trump said he was planning to deliver a “very big announcement” on November 15, likely about a 2024 presidential run. But given the losses of his endorsed candidates — which many Republicans believe was his fault — some are advising Trump to delay that announcement, Haberman said.
“There are people pushing Trump to reschedule his announcement next week, and several Rs have texted asking whether he will,” Haberman tweeted, “but it’s risky and would be acknowledging he’s wounded by yesterday, something that some of his advisers insist is not the case.”
Fewer than 3 in 10 Americans want Trump to announce another presidential run, recent polling shows. In an Economist/YouGov poll published just before the midterms, 29 percent of respondents said they want Trump to run in 2024, while 53 percent said they did not.
Before Election Day, the former president stated in an interview that he should be praised if Republicans win but that he wouldn’t be responsible if they didn’t.
“I think if they win, I should get all the credit,” Trump said. “If they lose, I should not be blamed at all.”
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