SHAH ALAM – US President Donald Trump must take responsibility for his administration’s military policies following the Republican Party’s electoral losses in the 2026 US Midterm Elections, which have been linked to the war against Iran.
Malaysian Consultative Council of Islamic Organizations (MAPIM) president Mohd Azmi Abdul Hamid said the election results sent a clear message of public rejection of war, militarism, economic insecurity and the government’s foreign policy direction.
He said the Democrats’ sweeping gains, including securing control of both the House of Representatives and the Senate, reflected widespread dissatisfaction with the country’s direction.
According to him, Trump has acknowledged that the war against Iran contributed to the Republicans’ electoral losses but continues to defend his decision to launch the conflict, insisting that he would make the same decision again.
“Trump cannot acknowledge the political cost of war while refusing to accept responsibility for the policies that led to the conflict.
“He must confront the uncomfortable truth that responsibility lies with him and his administration’s hawkish approach,” he said in a statement today.
Mohd Azmi said the election outcome represented an important expression of democratic accountability, demonstrating that even the world’s most powerful political leaders could not escape the consequences of military actions and geopolitical confrontation.
He said the war against Iran had consequences extending beyond Washington and Tehran, including heightened regional instability, threats to international energy security, increased economic uncertainty and greater risks to civilians.
“The American people have legitimate reasons to question why their government continues to prioritise military confrontation when households are struggling with rising living costs, fuel prices and economic insecurity,” he said.
He added that military superiority did not automatically translate into political legitimacy, international credibility or sustainable security.
In this regard, MAPIM outlined five fundamental issues that required attention, including rejecting war as an instrument of political prestige and ensuring that military actions did not override international law and the protection of civilian lives.
The organisation also called on the United Nations Security Council to examine the Iran conflict, including the legality of military actions by all parties, and pursue an immediate diplomatic solution to prevent further destruction.
MAPIM stressed that the message delivered by American voters through the elections must be taken seriously, particularly concerning war, economic pressures and the country’s foreign policy direction.
Mohd Azmi also said the United States could not demand that other countries comply with international law while expecting its own military decisions to be exempt from the same standards.
He said international legal and humanitarian principles must be applied consistently to Washington, Tel Aviv, Tehran and all other countries.
He further called on the United States to abandon its confrontational approach and return to negotiations to establish a regional security framework that respected sovereignty, territorial integrity and the rights of all parties.
“Trump cannot blame the war for his electoral losses while continuing to defend the very policies that led to the conflict.
“The real test of leadership now is whether he has the political courage to change course,” he said.
He said the consequences of the Iran war should not be measured solely through American electoral calculations, but also through the destruction of civilian infrastructure, loss of lives, displacement and economic disruption.
He added that people in Palestine, Lebanon, Iran and other parts of West Asia had endured decades of conflict and insecurity and should not continue to become victims of geopolitical power struggles.
MAPIM also cautioned against interpreting the election developments as an automatic endorsement of any particular government or political party.
Instead, the changing political balance in Washington must translate into genuine changes in the country’s foreign policy.
He said the incoming congressional majority had a responsibility to exercise democratic oversight, scrutinise military decisions, demand transparency in war expenditure and strengthen legislative accountability over the use of American military power. – DETIK MALAYSIA
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