Dispute over direction among US Republicans: What comes after the Trump era?

Dispute over direction among US Republicans On blame and the question of who will follow Trump As of: November 6th, 2026 • 8:31 a.m

After the defeat in the midterm elections, US Republicans are arguing about the party's future course. Error analysis, accusations and your own application speeches are difficult to differentiate.

Those who have nothing left to lose criticize loudest. Thom Tillis, for example: After twelve years as a senator for North Carolina, he is facing political retirement. But his designated successor, hand-picked by US President Donald Trump, failed in the midterm elections and the Senate seat was lost to the Democrats.

Trump's people in Washington are solely to blame for this, Tillis complained in an interview with CNN two days after the election: The Americans, according to Tillis, are lenient when someone admits their mistake and explains what they will do differently. But anyone who “continues to go the extra mile for stupidity will get it.”

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The party is now arguing about exactly what stupidity cost the Republicans their majority. The war against Iran, with all its consequences for fuel prices and the national budget, is seen by the powerful America First wing of the Republicans as the original political sin of Trump's second term.

Republicans like Representative Thomas Massie criticize that Israel in particular has benefited from the US's military involvement in the Middle East, but not the United States itself. His days in Congress are already numbered. He is now shooting even harder at US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. On behalf of the war opponents in his party, Massie even calls for impeachment proceedings against Hegseth.

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Trump doesn't think so. When asked about the impending parliamentary proceedings, Trump certified that his minister was doing “a very good job.” He even trusts Hegseth to take over the soon-to-be vacant position as senator for his state of residence, Tennessee, in Congress. But the Republicans also suffered losses there in the recent elections - the south has had enough of personnel proposals from the capital for the time being.

Even when it comes to economic policy, hardly any Republicans defend the president's course. Republican candidates such as Susan Collins in Maine and Mike Rogers in Michigan had already distanced themselves from Trump's tariffs during the election campaign. Both still lost their Senate races.

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And harsh criticism also comes from Texas, which will be governed democratically in the future: outgoing Senator John Cornyn calls Trump's aggressive tariffs a "central inexcusable mistake" in a guest article for the Wall Street Journal.

And the last remaining Republican senator for Texas, Ted Cruz, is now demanding in his video message that after the recent "kick in the ass" the Republican Party must completely reposition itself: as a "real workers' party" and champion of the free market.

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Before it can be rebuilt, the party must first clarify its central conflict: How far is the Grand Old Party breaking away from Trump and his MAGA movement - and in what direction? Even further to the right, as Representative Greg Steube from Florida demands?

In an interview with the right-wing conservative news channel Newsmax, Steube criticized the Trump government for not implementing many of its promises to the culture-fighting right-wing wing of the party out of false consideration for moderate members.

The Republican former governor of New Jersey, Chris Christie, is calling for the exact opposite. And he links the course debate with the personnel question: The Trump era is over and his Vice President JD Vance, who was considered his successor, is neither a suitable party leader nor does he have a chance of becoming president in 2028.

The US Republicans are currently clearing away the political rubble of Tuesday's election night - and are arguing about their future course. It is difficult to distinguish between error analysis, blame and your own application speeches.

This topic in the program: NDR Info | News | 11/06/2026 | 8:47 a.m