Democrats are projected to win control of the House of Representatives in a devastating blow to President Trump that could mark the beginning of the end of the MAGA era.
Although he was not on the ballot, the midterm elections were effectively a nationwide referendum on Trump. Republicans suffered crushing losses that were a dagger to the heart for the White House.
Voters appeared to have passed a damning judgment on Trump's inability to bring down the cost of living for ordinary Americans, according to exit polls.
The results - reflecting a huge shift in Trump's once impressive MAGA base - will also cast a cloud over any ambitions Vice President JD Vance has for a 2028 run.
CNN and CNBC projected a Democratic House majority. The fate of the Senate, currently held by Republicans, remained unclear as results came in.
But the projected 'blue wave' in the House will mean Trump entering lame duck territory in his final two years in office.
Immediately after the House was called, the President wrote on Truth Social: 'I wasn't on the Ballot and if I was, we would have won IN A LANDSLIDE!'
Even though he wasn't on the ballot the midterms were effectively a referendum on President Trump
Earlier, in a sign of election night frustration, Trump had raged at Fox News when the first polls closed, writing on Truth Social that their exit poll questions were 'BULLS***.'
The Fox News poll showed 87 percent of voters were concerned about gas prices and 62 percent blamed Trump.
He then texted Fox News host Greg Gutfeld live on air, telling him: 'I inherited the worst prices and inflation in history from Sleepy Joe. Prices are heading down FAST!'
Among the early race calls, Trump suffered a blow as Democratic Senator Jon Ossoff crushed his hand-picked Republican challenger Mike Collins in Georgia.
That was quickly followed by the first Republican loss in a Senate race as Democrat Roy Cooper stormed to a quick victory in North Carolina over favorite Michael Whatley.
In a stunning result, Democrats also picked up a Senate seat in deep-red South Carolina.
Pediatrician Annie Andrews narrowly defeated Republican Darline Graham, who was personally chosen by Trump and had sought to permanently fill the seat of her late brother Lindsey Graham.
Meanwhile, Ashley Moody, the Trump-backed Republican senator in Florida clung on against democratic socialist Angie Nixon.
The President's candidate for Florida governor, Byron Donalds, also squeaked home.
Democrats picked up their first Republican-held House seat of the night in western North Carolina.
Jamie Ager, a candidate with a farming background, defeated Republican Jennifer Balkcom, a state legislator.
Losing the House means Trump will be blocked from getting much of his agenda through, and he will face Democrat-led corruption investigations into himself, his allies and family. He could even be impeached for a third time.
The President will have to rely on issuing executive orders in areas where he retains authority, including over tariffs, immigration, foreign policy and military actions, and the use of his veto power to stop Democrats getting their policies made law.
Democrat Dr Annie Andrews, a pediatrician, pulled off a shock victory in the Senate race in South Carolina over President Trump's personally chosen candidate Darline Graham, the sister of the late Lindsey Graham
Democrat Jon Ossoff dealt an early election night blow to Trump by winning his Senate seat in Georgia
Celebrations among Jon Ossoff supporters in Atlanta, Georgia
An expansive AP Voter Poll found the electorate was in the mood for change, with 75 percent saying they felt 'angry' or 'dissatisfied' with the way things are going in the country.
Roughly six in 10 blamed high prices on Trump's policies, and 71 percent wanted Congress to provide more checks and balances on the presidency.
About four in 10 said the economy was the most important issue, while three in 10 said it was 'democracy,' according to the poll, both well above crime, healthcare and immigration.
On the eve of the election, Trump's approval rating was just 32 percent in a Reuters/Ipsos poll, with 64 percent disapproving of his job performance.
Some 78 percent of voters said the cost of living was the most important, or a very important, factor in their decision.
And 49 percent of Democrats were 'very enthusiastic' about voting compared with just 33 percent of Republicans.
The Daily Mail spoke with voters around the country who said affordability - including high gas and diesel prices due to the Iran war - was the overwhelming issue of concern.
In a CNN exit poll, 65 percent said Trump had worsened economic conditions.
That poll found 16 percent of people were casting their vote to support Trump, 43 percent to oppose Trump, and for 41 percent he was not a factor.
Evidence suggests many Latino voters who backed Trump in 2024 also returned to the Democratic fold amid frustration over the economy and roundups by ICE.
All 435 seats in the House of Representatives and 35 seats in the Senate were up for grabs on November 3
Democratic congressman Hakeem Jeffries is expected to become the first black Speaker of the House
The new Speaker is expected to be Hakeem Jeffries, the New York congressman and current Democratic leader in the House. He will replace Republican Mike Johnson.
Jeffries, 56, formerly a corporate lawyer, will be the first black Speaker of the House, and the position will make him second in line to the presidency after the Vice President.
In addition to overseeing investigations into the Trump family he plans to lead a legislative agenda aimed at reversing Medicaid cuts, restoring Obamacare subsidies, and reducing the costs of groceries, housing and energy.
Going into the midterms Republicans had a slim 218-214 majority in the 435-seat House. One independent member caucused with Republicans and two seats were vacant.
The Republicans held a comfortable majority of 53-47 in the 100-seat Senate.
All seats in the House, and 35 Senate seats were up for election this time. Of the 35 Senate seats 22 were held by Republicans, and 13 by Democrats.
A total of 36 of the 50 states were also holding elections for governor.
Food and gas prices were very much on voters' minds as they went to the polls
A woman leaves a polling station after voting in Georgia
Early voting had been underway for weeks and, in the end, over 100 million people are believed to have cast ballots, around two thirds the number in a presidential election.
A record-breaking $12 billion has been spent on adverts, according to advertising intelligence agency AdImpact.
Some $4 billion of that was spent in October alone as TV viewers were bombarded with incessant ads, many of them negative attacks on opponents.
In the final month, Republicans slightly outspent Democrats, with Elon Musk alone pouring in over $300 million.
The states where most was spent were Texas, Ohio and Michigan.
Held in the middle of each four-year presidential term, midterm elections do not involve the President, but they are generally a setback for his party.
The results of the midterms could cast a cloud over any upcoming 2028 White House bid by JD Vance
Mike Johnson, the Republican House Speaker, will have to hand over the gavel to Democrats
They are a chance for voters to make their feelings known about the first two years of an administration, and to call for a change in direction.
In 2006, during the Republican presidency of George W Bush, Democrats achieved a so-called 'blue wave' of gains amid a backlash to the war on terror.
Four years later, in 2010, Republicans won 63 extra House seats in what the incumbent Democratic president Barack Obama described as a 'shellacking' for his party.
In 2018, during Trump's first term, Democrats gained 40 House seats.
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