Republicans suffered a brutal midterm-style defeat, and Trump's own base started tearing itself apart over who's to blame.

• Trump called the losses a "good job" by Democrats and even floated working with them, then reversed and claimed he "wasn't on the ballot" when pressed by reporters.
• Trump also said voters agree with his Iran policy but didn't want to deal with higher gas prices, blaming the loss on the war's short-term economic pain rather than the war itself.
• Top MAGA voices split into blame-shifting: some pundits insisted the loss was really about tariffs and the economy, while others lashed out at "woke" enemies and said the real mistake was not going harder on Iran.
• House Republicans are already scrambling over leadership, with a fight brewing between Jim Jordan and Steve Scalise for a top post.
• Democrats are eyeing a government funding deadline in December as leverage to try to cut off money for continued war operations, setting up a bigger fight ahead.

Outlook: Expect a messy Republican leadership fight and a December showdown over war funding as Democrats test whether they can actually force a change in policy.