MOSCOW, March 24. /TASS/. In an interview with TASS, Tom Graham, a former adviser on Russia to President George W. Bush, clarified that a Republican defeat in the upcoming US midterm elections would not render President Donald Trump a "lame duck" in the White House.

Commenting on the electoral prospects, Graham concurred with predictions that the Republicans are likely to lose. "I believe so. The margin is quite narrow at the moment – just one, maybe two, or at most three seats," he explained, referencing the current narrow advantage held by the ruling party in Congress. He added, "Typically, the incumbent president faces losses in midterm elections. Losing five seats is certainly within the realm of possibility."

When asked whether such an outcome might weaken Trump's influence within the Republican Party, potentially reducing him to a "lame duck" akin to former President Barack Obama, Graham responded confidently: "He's a unique president. Most likely, he'll be an unconventional 'lame duck' as well."

Graham also highlighted "acute polarization" as the primary challenge facing Trump and his supporters. "This is something new; it hasn't happened before – certainly not even in the 1960s. The mood in the country is different now. What's missing is the traditional optimism – that the future will be better," he observed.