The Republican missteps that led to the party losing control of Congress. Musk faces scrutiny from Democrats in Texas. And Trump is considering Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s position, sources say. Here’s what to know today.

Inside the miscalculations that cost Trump control of Congress A day after Democrats won back control of Congress, President Donald Trump largely skirted talk about the Republican Party’s election night performance. He instead boasted about the White House ballroom construction — though when asked, said he didn’t regret starting a war in Iran. Still, the GOP is reeling. The president’s party almost always loses ground in midterms, but Trump’s policies in the past two years — from tariffs, cuts to Medicaid and food stamps, as well as Iran — offered few promising angles for reversing that curse.

NBC News spoke to more than 50 people close to the Trump campaign who detailed the plans and missteps that set the stage for a shocking upheaval. Despite bleak poll findings in late August that showed voters were most concerned about the economy, Trump took to the campaign trail with a familiar and fateful message: “Pretend I’m on the ballot.”There was no course correction on policy, no bow to the frustrations voters felt. And in primary contests nationwide, Trump threw his support behind candidates who would end up losing.

He urged South Carolina Sen. Darline Graham to run for a full term despite questions about her qualifications. And he endorsed Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton for Senate, setting off a “total, major freakout,” one Republican said. As Republicans pointed fingers at one another, Democrats coalesced around their nominees.