Trump's Midterm Watch Party Reportedly Turned 'Dark' and 'Funereal' as Guests Left White House Before 10 p.m.

Donald Trump's midterm watch party at the White House turned 'dark' and 'funereal' on Tuesday, 3 November, with some guests leaving before 10 p.m. as Democratic wins mounted.

Trump followed the results in the East Room with top officials including Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Attorney General Todd Blanche, and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick. Some attendees described the mood in those terms, according to the paper, while other allies said privately they were glad to be out of town.

A 'Low-Key Reception' Closed to the Press

Senior administration officials told CBS News the gathering, set for around 7 p.m. and closed to reporters, was not a viewing 'party', but a 'low-key reception'.

In the early evening, as he prepared to host the event, Trump used Truth Social to call a Fox News commentator 'DUMB AS A ROCK.'

As the night went on, he vented at political aides and accused them of giving him bad polling information before the vote, the Times reported, citing people familiar with his remarks. Aides had spoken openly about a tough climate for Republicans, the paper noted. A White House official quoted by the Times disputed that Trump was frustrated with his advisers.

A separate White House official, speaking to AFP on election day, said that 'the White House mood is defiant' and argued that Trump had promoted many Republican candidates better than they had promoted themselves.

What Unfolded Before 10 p.m.

Just before 10 p.m., networks called South Carolina's Senate race for Democrat Annie Andrews over Republican Senator Darline Graham, and MS NOW projected that Democrats had won the House.

Graham, sister of the late Senator Lindsey Graham, was appointed to his seat after he died in July and ran with Trump's backing. Andrews, a paediatrician, became the first woman to win a Senate election in the state.

Texas followed a few minutes before 11 p.m., when Democrat James Talarico beat Attorney General Ken Paxton, also endorsed by Trump. CNN projected at 11:35 p.m. that Democrats had won at least 51 Senate seats, overturning a 53-47 Republican majority. Democrats also took Senate seats in Kansas, Ohio, Iowa, North Carolina, and Maine, where Susan Collins lost to Troy Jackson.

The Associated Press called the House for Democrats at 1:31 a.m. on Wednesday, 4 November.

Trump Says He Is 'Absolutely Willing' to Accept the Outcome

Trump went silent on Truth Social for about three hours as results came in. Shortly before 10:30 p.m., he told the Times by phone that he was 'absolutely willing' to accept the results and would work with Democrats. 'We'll probably work something out,' he said.

Watching the returns, he remarked, 'I see that Darline lost. Wow, that's amazing. How do you think Lindsey would have done if he ran?' He said he had no regrets about endorsing Darline Graham or Paxton.

He blamed the defeats on his absence from the ballot and repeated the point on Truth Social, which he resumed using just after 10:30 p.m. 'I wasn't on the Ballot and if I was, we would have won IN A LANDSLIDE!' he wrote.

Trump acknowledged voters 'weren't happy with the oil price,' but called the war with Iran 'a very wise decision.' Consumer prices rose 3.7% in September from a year earlier, partly due to war-driven energy costs.

After Democrats clinched the Senate, he told Fox News anchor Bret Baier, 'Well, I'm a little bit surprised. I thought they'd do better.'

He also pointed to his veto. 'I have total veto power, so they have to come to us,' he told the Times. He later posted an image of his red MAGA cap bearing the single word 'VETO'.

A Campaign Built on 'Pretend I'm on the Ballot'

Trump had headlined nearly 30 rallies, telling crowds to 'pretend I'm on the ballot.' He promised $5,000 (about £3,700) for every American adult, called the 'Trump Dividend', if Republicans held Congress. The White House had separately announced $500 (about £370) Obamacare 'refund' payments.

In the same statement, issued while votes were still being counted, the AFP official said Trump's resolve to stop the 'Radical Left' would only grow stronger, adding, 'Buckle up'.

Democrats take control of both chambers when the new Congress convenes in January, with House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries expected to become speaker.