Trump approval hits 33% as Iran war drags into sixth month
This Telegraph bonus episode examines how the ongoing US-Iran war is influencing the November 2026 midterm elections. Hosts and Washington correspondents Ben Smith and Poppy Wood discuss Trump's record-low approval ratings, rising oil prices from Strait of Hormuz disruptions, chaos and leadership turnover at the Pentagon under Secretary Pete Hegseth, and voter sentiment in the border town of Laredo, Texas. The segment explores Republican candidates' reluctance to distance from Trump, Democratic focus on affordability and a generational shift on Israel policy, and immigration enforcement's local effects. Reporting draws on Reuters reports, unnamed Republican sources, local interviews in Laredo, and references to Pentagon leaks and classified documents later removed from systems. Guests highlight economic fallout, military morale concerns, and how the war has amplified existing second-term headwinds for Trump.
Source: The Telegraph
