President Donald Trump acknowledged Wednesday that the ongoing government shutdown may have played a role in Republicans’ disappointing Election Day losses.
Speaking at a breakfast with GOP lawmakers at the White House, Trump admitted that “it was not expected to be a victory,” suggesting the 36-day shutdown — now the longest in U.S. history — hurt his party’s chances.
“I think, if you read the pollsters, the shutdown was a big factor,” Trump said. “Negative for the Republicans, and that was a big factor.”
He also noted that some pollsters claimed his absence from the ballot was another major reason for the defeats. “They say that I wasn’t on the ballot and was the biggest factor,” he said. “But I don’t know about that. But I was honored that they said that.”
Democrats scored decisive wins across several states Tuesday, including gubernatorial races in New Jersey and Virginia, and the New York City mayoral race. In California, voters approved a new congressional map expected to give Democrats a five-seat advantage in next year’s midterms.
Trump conceded the night wasn’t good for his party. “I don’t think it was good for Republicans,” he said. “I don’t think it’s good. I’m not sure it was good for anybody.”
The president urged lawmakers to move quickly to end the shutdown, calling for an end to the Senate filibuster to speed up the process. “We must get the government open,” he said. “It’s time for Republicans to do what they have to do. Terminate the filibuster.”
The remarks marked a notable shift in tone for Trump, who has previously said he was willing to let the shutdown continue until Democrats agreed to his spending terms.