Midterms 2026: The Republican Party divided over Donald Trump and the future of the MAGA movement

Republicans must choose their line after their defeat in the midterm elections: remain loyal to Donald Trump or distance themselves from the MAGA movement. On Wednesday, American media projections announced more than 40 seats lost in the House of Representatives, where they held 220 elected out of 435 and 7 in the Senate. This setback weakened the president and opened the battle for 2028. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis estimated that his party could wait until 2032 to retake Congress.

The Wall Street Journal called on Republicans to address economic concerns and win back Hispanic, independent and suburban voters. “Customs duties and mass expulsions cannot replace real income growth,” the daily wrote. Matthew Boyle, one of the leaders of the far-right site Breitbart, also called for change: “In economic matters, make decisions that benefit real people and not lobbies. » He also called for more measure in the application of migration policies.

J.D. Vance avoids frontal attack on Donald Trump

Vice-President J.D. Vance, possible candidate in 2028, mainly blamed the conflict in the Middle East. “The war (in Iran) is the reason for our defeat,” he said on X, before adding: “The president himself said it last night. » Donald Trump, however, only recognized “partial” responsibility for this war, also attributing the defeat to the quality of certain local candidates. However, he acknowledged this Wednesday that the conflict could have played a role. J.D. Vance thus avoided attacking him directly, like several MAGA influencers who asked for changes without implicating him personally.

Others have broken with the president. “If the Republican Party wants to have any chance in the future, we have to expel Donald Trump,” said former Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene. Several candidates had already stopped mentioning it during the campaign. Amy Dacey, an expert at American University, nevertheless qualified the significance of the vote: “An electoral defeat can weaken the influence of a political movement, but this does not automatically eliminate the circumstances which gave birth to it. » It remains to be seen whether Republican leaders in Congress will distance themselves.

Johnson will not run for Speaker of the House

In the House, Democrat Hakeem Jeffries announced his candidacy for president. If he is elected in January, he will become the first black speaker in the history of the United States. Among the Republicans, Steve Scalise, current number two in the group and elected from Louisiana, ran for minority leadership. He could face Jim Jordan, ultraconservative representative from Ohio and close to Donald Trump. The president assured that the White House would not intervene in this internal vote, scheduled for Tuesday.

All our articles on the American midterms