Donald Trump was asked what it felt like “to be a loser” after his party suffered a bruising defeat in this week’s midterm elections.
The US president appeared unimpressed by the question, which was put to him by a British reporter on Friday.
Trump offered no response and walked away after speaking to reporters as he left the White House for Florida.
The exchange came after US voters went to the polls on Tuesday to decide races for seats in the Senate and House of Representatives.
His party lost ground across the board, including shock Democratic victories in traditionally safe Republican states such as Texas.
Democrats now control both chambers, prompting Republicans to begin assigning blame. Trump has also removed Chief of Staff Susie Wiles.
Political analysts said voters had rejected the president’s agenda, with the war in Iran, tariffs and the rising cost of living all contributing to the result.
As Trump departed the White House yesterday, reporters questioned him about the election outcome.
Donald Trump was asked what it felt like “to be a loser” after his party suffered a heavy midterm defeat
Trump appeared unimpressed by the question and walked away without answering
“How does it feel being a loser, Mr President?” a British journalist called out.
The president did not acknowledge the question and walked away while carrying a large umbrella.
In Britain, meanwhile, political figures who had previously praised Trump are beginning to distance themselves from him.
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch described the result as “entirely self-inflicted” in an interview with Independent editor-in-chief Geordie Greig on The Talk Show, saying: “Voters want results.”
She identified foreign policy and Trump’s tariffs as major sources of voter frustration, along with his threats toward allies including Canada and Greenland.
Badenoch also called Trump’s treatment of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in the White House “awful” and said she objected to the way he had been “rude about [Sir] Keir Starmer”.
The Conservative leader added that she would have been satisfied if Democratic nominee Kamala Harris had won the 2024 election, joking: “I like them both equally. Make of that what you will.”
Asked whether Trump deserved to be thrashed at the polls, she replied: “Well, yeah. He has not been acting in the way that I would consider conservative.”
“Where is the push for free markets, better trade and stronger enforcement of trade rules, rather than protectionism, America first and squabbling with allies? That’s not what conservatives do.”
She continued: “We need to separate President Trump from the United States. The special relationship is with the country.”
“When he was rude about Keir Starmer… I didn’t like that at all,” she added. “What they did to President Zelensky in the White House was awful.”
White House chief of staff Susie Wiles has left following the election results and will be replaced by Stephen Miller
Vice-President JD Vance also blamed the war in Iran in the aftermath of the election, marking a notable departure from his previous loyalty to Trump.
In a lengthy post on X, he discussed the conflict, listed other factors behind the party’s defeat and appealed to Republican voters to give the MAGA movement another opportunity in the future.
“The reason we lost is the war. The President himself said so last night,” Vance wrote.
“If you’d like to argue it was worth it, that losing the Senate for the next six years was worth it, then do so,” he said.
“Argue it was a worthwhile cost to pay. Agree or disagree, that’s at least honest.”
As the fallout continued, Trump announced last night that longtime Chief of Staff Susie Wiles would leave her post and be replaced by her deputy, Stephen Miller.
Asked about the shake-up on Friday afternoon, Trump told reporters: “I wanted to make a change. I think Susie’s done a very good job, great job, but… we gotta make moves. Sometimes in life, you have to make moves.”
His account differs from that of a senior White House official, who told Our News Outlet that Ms Wiles “gave her resignation last night”.
While Trump said publicly that he had decided a change was necessary, the official said Ms Wiles had made the decision to leave.
Reports claim Trump turned sharply against Ms Wiles in the Oval Office before she walked out while he was still shouting at her.
Trump had reportedly confronted his chief of staff during a meeting with other aides and berated her over the election’s brutal outcome, four sources familiar with the argument told Our News Outlet.
She is said to have asked to remain in the role until February, a request Trump rejected before she submitted her resignation.
A White House official denied that Trump had raised his voice at Ms Wiles, saying: “He would never yell at Susie.”
It remains unclear whether Ms Wiles will be the only senior figure to lose her position.
