GOP midterm prospects worsen amid Trump war fallout
The gist
Trump's approval ratings drop to new lows as the Iran war drags on.
Republicans fear losing Congress as candidates distance themselves from the president.
How it unfolded
- Jul 2026The White House explicitly encouraged midterm-bound Republicans to break from Trump in an effort to save their election chances.
- recentlyAt the Republican Midterm Convention, Trump told his party to promise $5,000 government handouts and act as if he's on the ballot.
- Sep 16, 2026An analysis of over a million social media messages by The Washington Post found mentions of Trump by Republican candidates online dropped from 15 percent in January to 9 percent in September; a right-wing senator told Punchbowl that Trump was 'putting a noose around all of our necks' by escalating trade wars close to Election Day.