# Trump aides hunt for midterm scapegoat early

> White House operatives privately blame the president for Iran war and inflation ahead of brutal House and Senate predictions, but publicly need someone else to blame.
- Title: Trump aides hunt for midterm scapegoat early · WIRED
- Summary: White House operatives privately blame the president for Iran war and inflation ahead of brutal House and Senate predictions, but publicly need someone else…
- Keywords: trump white house, midterm elections, james blair, iran war, redistricting, house republicans, senate races, Trump, aides, hunt, midterm, scapegoat
- Source: WIRED — https://wired.com/story/its-the-presidents-fault-the-white-house-blame-game-starts-early-ahead-of-the-midterms
- Author: Hugo Lowell
- Published: 2026-10-21T21:00:00+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: trump white house, midterm elections, james blair, iran war, redistricting, house republicans, senate races
## White House hunts for scapegoat
Trump White House aides have started seeking a scapegoat for expected bad midterm election losses in key House and Senate races, sources familiar with the matter say.
## Operatives blame Trump privately
Republican political operatives say privately that Trump's decision to start the Iran war in an election year caused higher prices and a nationwide voter backlash.

> Clearly it's the president's fault
## James Blair becomes the target
Eyes have fallen on deputy chief of staff and political strategist James Blair, who organized Trump's turnout strategy and the midterm cycle redistricting plan.
## Redistricting gambit backfired badly
Blair's redistricting plan was supposed to bring roughly ten to fifteen House pickups for Republicans. But five months later, some redistricted seats now favor Democrats instead.
## Blair's allies defend the strategy
Blair's allies say criticism is unfair because he could not have foreseen the Iran war's effects and scandals involving Trump officials that undid his planning.
## Blair may walk to the gallows
Blair has perhaps made it too easy to single him out by explicitly owning the House midterm strategy. He may now be blamed despite low expectations helping him.

> He may be walked to the gallows with that same rope
## Key takeaway

Trump White House aides are seeking a scapegoat for expected midterm losses, with deputy chief of staff James Blair emerging as a target despite privately acknowledging the president's Iran war and inflation policies caused the damage.