Trump demands Alaska give votes to Republican Senate candidate as he tries to salvage disastrous midterms: Live updates

Donald Trump reacts to midterms bloodbath at White House ballroom ceremonyPresident Donald Trump has argued that Alaska should hand over votes cast for the independent Senate candidate Dan Sullivan to the Republican incumbent with the same name as the state continues to count its ballots.Desperate for some good news after losing control of the House and Senate in a midterms wipeout Tuesday, the president took to Truth Social to argue: “The vote totals for the Fake Dan Sullivan, plus the other ‘slug’ that the Dems put on the Ballot, should be immediately given to the REAL Dan Sullivan, and the Election is over – He easily wins. There is no other fair solution!”In another Senate race where votes are still being counted – Mississippi – Democrats believe they could be on course for at least one last major upset, with candidate Scott Colom in with a chance of unseating GOP incumbent Cindy Hyde-Smith in the traditionally deep red southern state.As the election fallout continues, Vice President JD Vance has reportedly raged in private about Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu dragging the U.S. into the war with Iran that cost them so badly at the polls.Inside Washington: The JD Vance tweet that tells us everything we need to know about 2028Here’s Holly Baxter’s latest post to our Substack on the VP’s post about why the midterms went so badly for Republicans, which, she argues, revealed a lot about his likely strategy over the next two years.Joe Sommerlad5 November 2026 15:20Are Trump’s phone calls now being screened by his constant companion Natalie Harp? The president’s ever-present aide now appears to be deciding who he can speak to.Andrew Feinberg takes a closer look.Joe Sommerlad5 November 2026 15:00Trump demands Alaska give votes to Republican Senate candidateHere’s the latest from the president on Truth Social as he desperately tries to salvage some good news from Tuesday’s midterms mauling with the votes still being counted in Alaska:“The vote totals for the Fake Dan Sullivan, plus the other ‘slug’ that the Dems put on the Ballot, should be immediately given to the REAL Dan Sullivan, and the Election is over – He easily wins. There is no other fair solution!”Joe Sommerlad5 November 2026 14:45Trump lashed out at Stephen Miller for going ‘too far’ with deportations after Melania complained: reportThe president reportedly hit out at his deputy White House chief of staff, the architect of the administration’s aggressive immigration operation, for going “too far” after first lady Melania Trump complained to her husband.Rhian Lubin has the story.Joe Sommerlad5 November 2026 14:30James Talarico: The man who stood up to Trump the bully – and won TexasHere’s an in-depth profile of the man of the hour from Alex Hannaford.James Talarico: The man who stood up to Trump the bully – and won TexasHis mother left home at 19, and his father was an abusive alcoholic. Now this progressive Democrat – who wears cowboy boots, talks about Jesus and who even Joe Rogan likes – has just flipped the Lone Star state. Trump mocked him as ‘Talafreako’; but now his victory changes everything, writes Alex HannafordJoe Sommerlad5 November 2026 14:00Chuck Schumer posts meme of himself grilling RepublicansThe Daily Show’s Jon Stewart once complained that the Senate Democratic leader had “no rizz,” a criticism he may have been listening to, judging by this post.Joe Sommerlad5 November 2026 13:30Watch: Mamdani calls midterms win an ‘opportunity’ for Democrats but urges them not to forget working classNew York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, whose own election triumph last year now looks like an indicator of what was to come, had this to say about the midterms last night:Joe Sommerlad5 November 2026 13:00Amy Acton let Vivek Ramaswamy’s concession call go to voicemail after repulsive attack adOhio’s new governor enjoyed a very sweet moment indeed after winning her race, snubbing her Republican rival after he decided to run an ad in which her estranged mother, to whom she has not spoken in 48 years, accused her of lying about being raped by her stepfather as a child.Jasmine Fernandez has more.Joe Sommerlad5 November 2026 12:30Watch: DeSantis says midterms ‘rebuke’ came because of ‘lack of productivity from Republicans'One of the most clear-eyed conservatives to address Tuesday’s vote so far has been Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who appeared on Laura Ingraham’s Fox News show last night to deliver some home truths to his party.Joe Sommerlad5 November 2026 12:00Comment: Trump is not the first leader who won’t say sorry for a disastrous warAfter a war that had more to do with vanity than sanity cost him, the president will find a sympathetic ear on a certain member of his so-called Board of Peace, says Simon Walters.Joe Sommerlad5 November 2026 11:30