Trump hails midterm results, says his influence key factor

The president of the United States took credit for what he said was a great victory for Republicans in the midterm elections, in which the GOP kept control of the Senate but lost its majority in the House of Representatives.

“Those that worked with me in this incredible Midterm Election, embracing certain policies and principles, did very well. Those that did not, say goodbye!” Donald Trump wrote Wednesday on Twitter, while also taking shots at his critics in the US media.

“Yesterday was such a very Big Win, and all under the pressure of a Nasty and Hostile Media! ... To any of the pundits or talking heads that do not give us proper credit for this great Midterm Election, just remember two words - FAKE NEWS!” the president said.

Trump will give a formal press conference at the White House at 11.30 am on Wednesday to discuss the midterm results.

The opposition Democrats officially secured the necessary 218 seats in the 435-seat House in Tuesday night’s legislative elections, thus taking back control of the lower chamber for the first time since 2010.

The Republicans, meanwhile, are assured of at least holding on to their 51-seat majority in the 100-seat Senate.

Referring to expectations that a Democratic-majority House will ramp up investigations into alleged collusion between Trump’s presidential campaign and Russia, the head of state issued a warning of his own.

“If the Democrats think they are going to waste Taxpayer Money investigating us at the House level, then we will likewise be forced to consider investigating them for all of the leaks of Classified Information, and much else, at the Senate level. Two can play that game!” the president tweeted Wednesday.