President Donald Trump acknowledged on Wednesday that the ongoing government shutdown was partly to blame for Republican losses in the 2025 Election Day results.

The government shutdown, which set a record as the longest in U.S. history on that day, became a significant issue influencing voter sentiment and election outcomes.

What he’s saying: Trump stated in remarks to GOP senators, “Last night, it was not expected to be a victory. It was very Democrat areas. I don’t think it was good for Republicans. I’m not sure it was good for anybody. But we had an interesting evening, and we learned a lot.” • He emphasized that the shutdown was a “big factor, negative, for the Republicans,” based on what polls showed. • Trump also suggested his own absence from the ballot in key races may have

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