WASHINGTON — President Trump said Friday that Republican voters are angry at congressional Republicans, not at his performance. His remarks, made in an interview with Punchbowl News, come as the party prepares for the 2026 midterm elections.
Trump singled out the party's leadership in Congress as the target of voter discontent, drawing a clear line between the White House and Capitol Hill.
Issues including affordability and the ongoing war in Iran are seen as vulnerabilities Democrats could exploit in a push to flip the House.
For Speaker Mike Johnson and Senate Majority Leader John Thune, the president's public positioning creates an additional problem: they must defend a legislative record Trump is already separating himself from.
That dynamic complicates Republican efforts to present a united front. Candidates in contested districts and states face pressure from an impatient base while the president signals he stands apart from congressional struggles.
Democrats are expected to use Trump's comments to amplify the narrative of internal GOP division heading into November 2026.
