Sadiq Khan rejoices over ‘damaging Donald Trump’ defeat

The Mayor of London has congratulated the Democrats on last night’s midterm elections ‘victory.’

The Democrats took control of the Senate and House of Representatives, winning Senate seats in the former Republican strongholds of Texas, Kansas, South Carolina, Ohio, Maine and Iowa.

The midterm elections to Congress were seen as a referendum on Mr Trump with the Democratic victories representing a major blow to Mr Trump, who had previously urged people to pretend he was on the voting slip.

Sharing a jubilant post on Instagram, London’s mayor Sadiq Khan wrote: “Congratulations to Democrats on a huge victory last night

“With a focus on hope, unity and supporting families with the cost of living – their campaign was a true rejection of the damaging and divisive politics of Donald Trump.”

In a remarkable sweep, the Democrats won Senate seats in the former Republican strongholds of Texas, Kansas, South Carolina, Ohio, Maine and Iowa.

The Democrats have also regained control of the House of Representatives, which they last held in 2023, having flipped numerous seats in states including Kentucky, New Jersey, Indiana and North Carolina.

The midterm elections to Congress were seen as a referendum on the controversial Republican president.

The Democratic victories represent a major blow to Mr Trump, who had previously urged people to pretend he was on the voting slip.

In the face of the crushing losses, Mr Trump posted on his Truth Social platform: “I wasn’t on the Ballot and if I was, we would have won IN A LANDSLIDE!”

Democrats needed a net gain of four seats in the 100-member Senate to win a majority, while in the 435-member House, they needed three.
Speaking to Fox News, Mr Trump admitted the results had surprised him.

“I thought they’d do better, we had tremendous rallies,” he said.

He also congratulated the Democrats and said: “They did a good job. They worked very hard.”

But while offering to work with opponents, he had also posted a picture of a red baseball cap emblazoned with the word “Veto”, suggesting he would block legislation they sought to take through Congress.

“I thought that I could transfer those people into candidates.”

With the Democrats in the driving seat on Capitol Hill, Mr Trump does face having his domestic agenda frustrated as well as the threat of investigations into the conduct of his administration.

However, the president still has executive authority in key areas, including foreign policy.

The election outcome will also influence the debate and party strategies in the run-up to the 2028 presidential race, although there is likely to be dispute over which messages are adopted.

Democrat US senator Jon Ossoff, who won re-election in Georgia which had been a top Republican target, told supporters: “In sweeping and decisive victories the American people have rebuked the depravity, corruption, and incompetence of the failed lame duck president Donald J Trump.

“And if, at times these last two years, amidst the ceaseless onslaught of brutality and indecency, you doubted whether our republic would survive, let tonight’s results give you courage that the first light of dawn is on the horizon.”

The scale of the Democrat victory reflects the deep voter discontent over the cost of living, tariffs and high energy prices fuelled by the Iran war, which Mr Trump launched with Israel earlier this year.