Rubio acknowledges ’people are struggling’ economically in speech after GOP midterm wipeout

WASHINGTON Secretary of State Marco Rubio gave a sweeping speech to fellow conservatives on Friday evening (November 13, 2026), acknowledging that Americans are struggling in the current economy, while also railing against what he called the “weaponisation” of international law to constrain the U.S. from acting in its own interests. His comments to the conservative Federalist Society touched on a core issue of the midterm elections — economic pain — that U.S. voters cited in delivering massive losses to Rubio's Republican Party. Democrats win U.S.

Congress in midterm rout of U.S. President Donald Trump Democrats win U.S. Congress in midterm rout of U.S. President Donald Trump The Opposition party also retained key Senate seats, while victory in Georgia’s Governor race added to mounting signs that Republicans face a difficult night Democrats win U.S. Congress in midterm rout of U.S.

President Donald Trump storyline 1 “I think we have to recognise that people are struggling. There’s no doubt about it,” he said. “The health of our economy has nothing to do with the stock market.