Voting in the 2026 US congressional midterms took place on Tuesday, and President Donald Trump used the final hours of the campaign to make his case directly to voters by telephone on Fox News. According to WELT, the president argued that conditions in the country have improved sharply during his time in office, telling the network that the nation is now in strong shape compared with two years ago. He framed his appeal around his longstanding slogan, saying the goal now is to keep the country in that position.
The remarks came as voters decided the balance of power in Congress, a contest with wide consequences for the remainder of Trump's term. WELT reports that the president's media appearance was part of a last-minute push on election day itself.
Why it matters
Midterm elections determine control of the US Congress, and the outcome shapes what a president can accomplish in the second half of a term. Trump's decision to spend election day making his case by phone rather than at a rally reflects the stakes: a loss of majorities would constrain his legislative agenda. His comments also matter because several of them can be checked against the public record, and some sit uneasily with it.
Inflation claim meets a cautious Fed
Trump told Fox News that the inflation problem had been "solved," according to WELT. That assertion does not match the position of the US central bank. The Federal Reserve left its key interest rate unchanged the previous week rather than cutting it as Trump had wanted. Fed Chair Kevin Warsh explained the decision by saying inflation remains too high, WELT reports.
The gap between the president's characterization and the Fed's stated reasoning is notable because interest rate policy is set independently of the White House. A rate cut is typically used to stimulate an economy, while holding rates steady signals concern about price pressures. Trump has publicly pushed for lower rates; the central bank declined to move.
Hormuz, tariffs and the border
On foreign policy, Trump said the United States has the Strait of Hormuz "fully under control" through a naval blockade directed at Iran, WELT reports. The strait is a critical passage for global oil and gas shipments. According to WELT, Tehran has largely blocked the waterway since the Iran war began in late February and has repeatedly attacked vessels there, while the US imposed a counter-blockade on Iranian ports. The president's description of the situation as fully controlled is his own assessment; WELT's reporting describes an ongoing confrontation in the strait rather than a settled one.
On trade, Trump said automakers are moving into the US because they want to avoid tariffs, and he pointed to Audi's recent announcement that it will build its first factory in the country. On immigration, he said the border had been "open" before his presidency and claimed that millions of people had entered, including many criminals and murderers. WELT characterizes these statements as unsubstantiated or exaggerated.
The president also returned to a familiar theme, saying the US had once been mocked internationally and is now respected. He said his administration intends to keep it that way and improve further.
What to watch
Attention now turns to the vote count and to how control of Congress settles, since that result will determine whether the president's agenda advances or stalls.
