President Trump reached out to Democrats following their midterm election victories, engaging in a phone call to extend his congratulations. During the conversation, the president expressed his intention to collaborate with the opposing party for the benefit of the country. He noted his familiarity with many Democratic members and emphasized his executive authority, stating, "I have total veto power and I'm sure we'll be able to work things out."
Regarding the prospect of future legislative cooperation, the president suggested that Democrats would be inclined to work with him to avoid the alternative. "I think they're gonna want to work with me," he remarked, adding, "Otherwise I'd just veto everything and they're not gonna want that."
Addressing the performance of his own party, the president attributed the Republican losses primarily to his own absence from the ballot. "I feel that I wasn't on the ballot, and there was nothing that could be done about that," he explained. He stated that had he been a candidate, he believes Republicans would have won easily. Explaining the losses for Republicans, the president added: "In some cases they didn't like the candidates, and in some cases those candidates were not my friend and the base knows that better than anybody. And they stayed back."
When asked if he felt upset by the election outcomes, the president maintained that he had tried hard and "left it on the field." He expressed frustration that his efforts to assist certain candidates did not lead to their success. "I tried to help people get elected, and they were not elected, they couldn't get elected," he said. "The people didn't come out as they should have. If I were on the ballot they would have been out. But they didn't. It's just one of those things, you know? It's a point in time. Happened many times before." Additionally, the president commented briefly on the Iran war, asserting that it would conclude when he decides it is finished.
