The day after the night before: Trump caps fractious post-midterm press conference by firing attorney general Jeff Sessions

President has lost the House of Representatives, but remains bullish about his ability to implement ‘Maga’ agenda

What do the midterms mean for Trump?

Donald Trump capped a fraught midterm election period by firing his attorney general, Jeff Sessions, in a move that immediately provoked fear he may move against the Russia investigation headed by special counsel Robert Mueller.

The US president spent the day after the night before sparring with journalists in a rare set-piece press conference at the White House. The Republican, who appeared tired and on a short fuse, told one reporter to “just sit down” and called him “the enemy of the people” as he was grilled for some 90 minutes after his party lost control of the House of Representatives.

Nonetheless, Mr Trump sought to portray the GOP’s showing as a historic success, with candidates having prevailed in an unusual number of Senate races, he said. In one closely-watched contest, the Texas incumbent Ted Cruz narrowly defeated Beto O’Rourke, the Democrat darling of social media, who observers later tipped as a possible candidate for president in 2020.

During his news conference Mr Trump appeared to extend an olive branch to Democrats, with whom he said he believed his Republican colleagues could produce “a lot” of legislation, particularly on infrastructure. He has pledged to invest hundreds of millions of dollars to modernise crumbling elements of the US’ road system and for improvements in other areas.

But he said that bipartisan working would be contingent on his opponents refraining from opening a string of investigations into his affairs. Democrats have already said they plan to do just that, probing the president’s tax returns, alleged conflicts of interest and other sore points now that they control several influential House committees.

Mr Trump’s first public appearance following the polls veered wildly from outright conflict with the media to praising incoming House speaker Nancy Pelosi and envisioning peace, love and harmony among politicians and their constituents – pointing the finger at journalists for having sown division in the past.

The president hit out at CNN‘s Jim Acosta in particular after the reporter questioned him first over his rhetoric on immigration and then on Mr Mueller’s investigation. Mr Trump told Mr Acosta, who at times spoke over him and refused to relinquish his microphone, that “CNN should be ashamed of itself having you working for them”.

He also berated a black reporter for asking a “racist question” about his decision to declare himself a nationalist. Mr Trump was asked by Yamiche Alcindor, of PBS Newshour, whether his rhetoric had “emboldened” white nationalists. Mr Trump said that “it’s a very racist question” and that “it’s a very terrible thing you said to me”, adding: ”I don’t believe it ... why do I have my highest numbers with African-Americans?”

As reporters gathered themselves following the marathon press conference, another bombshell dropped – Jeff Sessions had resigned at the president’s request. The attorney general’s sacking came after months of very public vitriol directed his way by Mr Trump, who was incensed by the former Alabama senator’s decision to recuse himself from oversight of Mr Mueller’s probe into alleged collusion between the Trump campaign for president and Russia.

“Since the day I was honoured to be sworn in as attorney general of the United States, I came to work at the Department of Justice every day determined to do my duty and serve my country,” Mr Sessions wrote in his resignation letter.

His departure – televised and made while surrounded by applauding colleagues including his deputy, Rod Rosenstein, and his successor, Matthew Whitaker – sparked warnings of a “constitutional crisis”. Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer and others warned Mr Trump not to move against Mr Mueller now that Mr Sessions was out of the way.

See below how we covered the midterms, and the aftermath, live

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[6 November 2018 21:57 · Andrew Griffin]

The first Dem flip of election day has happened: the people of Guam have elected a Democrat to be their governor, replacing the Republican incumbent.

Lou Leon Guerrero will also be the island's first female governor.

The election was won on a tiny majority: 50.7 per cent of the vote. But the winner needs only 50 per cent plus one vote.

[6 November 2018 22:04 · Andrew Griffin]

The first exit polls are about to drop, giving us the earliest clue about how the results are going to fall. (It's worth remembering that they are worth viewing with scepticism: it could be a tiny number of seats that decide both the House and the Senate, and the future of Trump with them.)

[6 November 2018 22:05 · Andrew Griffin]

First exit poll from CNN:

According to voters today, 44 per cent prove of Donald Trump, and 55 per cent disapprove.

That's a historic low point. It's about where Obama and Bush were sitting in their first midterms – and that wasn't good.

The same poll also shows that 47 per cent of voters "strongly disapprove" of his performance. The strong feelings are on the disapproving side.

[6 November 2018 22:06 · Andrew Griffin]

Another set of data from CNN:

26 per cent are voting to support Trump, 39 per cent are doing it to oppose, and the rest said he wasn't a factor.

And 56 per cent of people say the country is going on the "wrong track", with 41 per cent saying it's going in the right direction.

[6 November 2018 22:06 · Andrew Griffin]

Again, those numbers are mostly in line with the weak performance that the previous two presidents had in their first midterms. But they were very weak, and those results would be very embarrassing to Trump.

[6 November 2018 22:07 · Andrew Griffin]

Here are some similar numbers for the Associated Press:

Health care and immigration were high on voters' minds as they cast ballots in the midterm elections, according to a wide-ranging survey of the American electorate conducted by The Associated Press. 

AP VoteCast also shows a majority of voters considered President Donald Trump a factor in their votes. 

A majority of voters overall say the country is headed in the wrong direction. Still, about two-thirds say economic conditions are good. 

With control of the Senate and the House of Representatives at stake, Trump encouraged voters to view the first nationwide election of his presidency as a referendum on his leadership. 

VoteCast debuted Tuesday, replacing the in-person exit poll as a source of detailed information about the American electorate. 

In all, the survey included interviews with more than 113,000 voters nationwide.

[6 November 2018 22:10 · Andrew Griffin]

Further data coming from CNN on when voters made up their mind:

A full 65 per cent say they decided what they were going to vote more than a month ago.

So the electorate was mostly locked in some time ago.

[6 November 2018 22:11 · Andrew Griffin]

First time midterm voters:

16 per cent are first time voters. That number in the presidential election was 10 per cent.

So it appears the reports of the surge in voters is real.

And if they are also younger voters, it's likely good news for the Democrats.

But at the presidential election, many Trump voters were first time voters too. That might be the same this time around.

[6 November 2018 22:19 · Andrew Griffin]

(Another important Guam fact: with the latest results, the majority of its legislature will be women.)

[6 November 2018 22:22 · Andrew Griffin]

And another from CNN's exit polling on the condition of the national economy:

68 per cent of people say it's "good". Which will be encouraging for Trump.

They were also asked to compare their financial situation with two years ago.

35% said it was better, 14% said it was worse, and 49% said it was about the same.