Trump Concedes Iran Played a Role in GOP Midterm Defeat, But Doesn’t Regret it: ‘I Did The Right Thing’

President Donald Trump acknowledged that the Iran war, which contributed to soaring gas prices in the U.S. and around the world, played a role in the Democratic wave in the midterms, but said he doesn't regret his decision.

"Iran was a piece of it," the president told The Wall Street Journal as the results came in. "I don't think about it. I did the right thing. I would have done it again," he added.

Trump went on to note that rising gas prices, rather than the war itself, turned voters against the Republican party.

Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf welcomed the results, saying voters rejected the war.

"Conscience or the cost of living, Americans said NO TO WAR, and we endorse this message," Ghalibaf wrote on X.

Ghalibaf, who has been involved in negotiations with Washington, also issued a warning to the U.S. government, saying it would face a "Nightmare" if it ignored voters to serve what he called "international paymasters and blackmailers."

The cost of living, partly driven by the war, fueled the Democratic wave. Almost four in five voters said the rising cost of living would be a very important or the most important factor in their vote. 43% said Democrats were better on the issue, compared to 32% of Republicans.

Before the election, an AP-NORC survey found that 64% of registered voters considered the Iran war an important issue. The economy ranked higher at 85%.

Democrats will gain greater oversight of Trump's military decisions when the new Congress takes office on Jan. 3. Their control of congressional committees will allow them to call hearings, demand documents and investigate spending on the conflict.

In fact, Rep. Robert Garcia, set to become the Chairman of the House Oversight Committee, told the president to "lawyer up."

In a statement on Tuesday night, Garcia recalled that he has "vowed to take on the Trump Crime Family, corporate corruption, DHS and ICE abuses, and the cover-up of the Epstein files."

With a majority in the Lower House, Democrats will be able to issue subpoenas as part of oversight investigations.

The party could also seek limits on additional war funding or bring legislation challenging military operations to a vote. Such measures would still face the possibility of a presidential veto, and Democrats would need sufficient support in Congress to overcome one.

Trump has given no indication that the election result will stop him from ordering further strikes. In his Fox News interview, he said additional military action remained an option if Tehran failed to cooperate, although he continued to hold out the possibility of an agreement.