Trump slams reports he was 'livid' at Melania for making him back Mehmet Oz

Former US President Donald Trump has slammed reports that he was angry with his wife Melania Trump for urging him to support Mehmet Oz for a pivotal Senate race in Pennsylvania, which the Republican candidate eventually lost. Taking to his social media platform Truth Social, Trump targeted New York Times reporter Maggie Haberman, saying that the publication was spreading fake news.

“There is a Fake Story being promulgated by third-rate reporter Maggie Hagaman [sic] of the Failing New York Times, that I am blaming our great former First Lady, Melania, and [talk show host] Sean Hannity, that I was angry with their pushing me to Endorse Dr. Oz,” he wrote.

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Haberman, in a tweet on Wednesday, had said that Trump was extremely angry and "screaming at everyone" after several of the Republican candidates he backed did not do too well in Tuesday's midterm elections. She also reported that Trump described his wife’s support for Oz as “not her best decision.”

Trump denied all such claims and said people are being fed fake news. He said that a lot of the candidates he backed went on to win Tuesday night, but the publications "literally make up a story refusing to write the facts".

“For those many people that are being fed the fake narrative from the corrupt media that I am Angry about the Midterms, don’t believe it,” Trump said on Truth Social. “I am not at all angry, did a great job (I wasn’t the one running!), and am very busy looking into the future.”

He even seemed to hint that Oz lost because he refused to say out loud that fraud happened in the 2020 elections.

“Oz is a wonderful guy who really worked hard and was a very good candidate, but he WAS LONG IN THE RACE before I ever Endorsed him, [Melania and Hannity] had NOTHING to do with it, he was not a ‘denier’ (his mistake!), & I was not at all ANGRY,” he said.

Oz lost to David Fetterman, turning the red state blue, who had taken the debate stage just five months after suffering a stroke.

"I never expected that we were going to turn these red counties blue. But we did what we needed to do, and we had that conversation across every one of those counties. And tonight, that's why I'll be the next US senator from Pennsylvania," Fetterman told his supporters.

While the Republicans have done well in the midterms, their performance fell below expectations, leading people within the party to question Trump's position in the party and the future of the party itself.

He has also been advised to delay the announcement of his presidential bid, which right now is expected to happen on November 15.

(With inputs from agencies)