Trump downplays midterm shellacking — and hints at plans for cabinet

Donald Trump played down his party’s heavy midterm losses, congratulated Democrats and said he was willing to work with them as they take control of both chambers of Congress. The result leaves him facing a lame-duck final two years, while his conciliatory remarks contrast with the bitter clashes that followed the 2018 midterms.

Trump attributed some of the losses to Iran and said high petrol prices had hurt Republicans, though he argued supporters would have turned out if he had been on the ballot. He ruled out major Cabinet changes, criticised Texas Governor Greg Abbott after his defeat, and said Iran could face renewed strikes if it did not agree to a binding deal preventing it from obtaining nuclear weapons.