Trump 'Paralysed Into Silence' Watching Democrats Seize Congress as Melania Is Nowhere in Sight

President Donald Trump was reportedly 'paralysed into silence' as Democrats won control of both chambers of Congress in the 2026 midterm elections, dealing a major blow to his administration.

According to the Daily Mail, Trump remained inside his private White House residence on Tuesday night, watching Fox News alongside close aide Natalie Harp and chief of staff Susie Wiles rather than joining the officials gathered in the East Room.

First Lady Melania Trump was also not reported to have attended the gathering. The atmosphere inside the White House reportedly grew increasingly sombre as Democratic victories mounted and Republican officials began leaving the election-night watch party.

Trump Watches Election Results With Natalie Harp

The Daily Mail, citing unnamed White House sources, reported that Trump stayed upstairs in his private residence as senior administration officials and Republican allies gathered to monitor the election results.

Harp, one of the president's closest aides, and Wiles reportedly accompanied him as he watched television coverage.

One senior administration official described the atmosphere inside the residence to the newspaper as particularly bleak.

'It's very, very dark in the residence,' the official said. 'It's a dark scene.'

Another source close to the president described his reaction as the results came in.

'He's watching Fox News barely uttering a word and paralysed into silence,' the source told the newspaper.

The Daily Beast subsequently reported on the Daily Mail's account, highlighting Trump's decision to remain in the residence with Harp and Wiles while other officials gathered elsewhere in the White House.

Melania Trump Missing as White House Gathering Empties

According to the Daily Mail, officials and Republican allies had gathered in the White House East Room on Tuesday evening to follow the election results and discuss the party's strategy.

Trays of food from The Cheesecake Factory had reportedly been prepared for attendees, but the gathering gradually lost participants as Democratic victories became clearer.

The newspaper reported that by approximately 22:00 Eastern Time, the room was largely empty, with the food left untouched.

Melania was reportedly not watching the election results alongside Trump. However, the reports did not establish where the First Lady was or explain her absence.

Meanwhile, Harp and Wiles reportedly remained with the president as the results continued to unfold.

Trump Blames Fox News and Greg Abbott

Although Trump was reportedly quiet while watching television, he turned to Truth Social to criticise Fox News and Republican candidates following the defeats.

'FoxNews [sic] bears responsibility for these losses by constantly and consistently putting on the Dumocrat [sic] opposition, and worse,' he wrote.

According to the Daily Mail, Trump repeatedly criticised Fox News following the Republican setbacks, blaming the network for the losses. The Guardian identified the Iran war and its economic consequences as significant factors in the election, with voters expressing concern about rising living costs.

Trump also targeted Texas Governor Greg Abbott, who lost his re-election campaign to Democrat Gina Hinojosa.

'If Greg Abbott, the Governor of Texas, hadn't become a RINO in the last six months of his Political Life, he wouldn't have lost,' Trump wrote.

RINO stands for 'Republican in Name Only', a term used by Trump and his supporters to criticise Republicans they consider insufficiently conservative.

The president also suggested the results would have been different had he personally been on the ballot.

'We would have won IN A LANDSLIDE!' he declared.

Democrats Take Control of Congress

The election gave Democrats control of both the House of Representatives and the Senate, giving the party greater power to challenge Trump's legislative agenda and scrutinise his administration.

The Guardian reported that Republican losses prompted Trump to direct criticism at Fox News and defeated candidates rather than accept responsibility for the party's performance.

The newspaper also highlighted the Iran war as an issue raised during election coverage, with concerns about its economic consequences contributing to the political debate.

The Daily Mail separately reported that some Trump administration insiders were discussing which senior officials could face consequences for the Republican defeats, with Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth and Secretary of State Marco Rubio among the names mentioned.