Trump facing midterms nightmare as approval ratings plunge over Iran war

Trump facing midterms nightmare as approval ratings plunge over Iran war

Author: The Telegraph September 6, 2026 Duration: 29:19

Donald Trump’s approval rating has plummeted to a record low as the military and economic toll of the US-Iran war collides with the upcoming 2026 midterm elections - and the pressure is on. 


On today’s episode of Iran: the Latest, Venetia Rainey speaks to US correspondents Ben Smith and Poppy Wood to examine how the conflict in the Middle East is threatening Trump’s control of Congress and driving inflation at American gas pumps. With oil prices surging past $90 a barrel due to sustained disruption in the Strait of Hormuz, Republican candidates from Texas to Maine are increasingly worried. 


Plus, amid a growing mutiny inside the Pentagon over the Iran war, could Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth be on the chopping block if the midterms go badly for Trump?

Highlights


  • Donald Trump’s approval rating plummets to a record low
  • Could Pete Hegseth be on the chopping block if the midterms go badly?


CONTRIBUTORS:

Venetia Rainey, co-host and executive producer @venetiarainey

Ben Smith, Washington correspondent @bsmithjourno

Poppy Wood, US correspondent @poppyeh


WATCH US ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJnf_DDTfIVAif-vifC6F2aoPB8GIw6dk


CONTENT REFERENCED:

Out with the old: Democrats replace stalwarts with young blood

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/us/politics/2026/08/15/elderly-democrats-forced-retire/


US army secretary to step down after tension with Hegseth

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/us/politics/2026/08/21/us-army-secretary-step-down-hegseth/


Winner Best News and Analysis Podcast - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026

Nominated Podcast of the Year - Society of Editors News Podcasts Awards 2026

Nominated Best News, Politics and Current Affairs - British Podcast Awards 2026

The Telegraph, Winner Podcast Publisher of the Year 2026 - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026


Audio Producer: Max Bower 

Video Producer: Peter Shevlin

Researcher and Social Producer: Anna Hindmarsh and Lucy Hadlow 

Studio Operator: Andy Watson

Executive Producer: Venetia Rainey 


► Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor

► EMAIL US: Contact the team on battlelines@telegraph.co.uk

► GET THE LATEST HEADLINES: Find all our latest Iran coverage here: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/iran-war/



Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.


For those trying to understand the complex and rapidly shifting landscape of the Middle East, Iran: The Latest offers essential context. This Telegraph podcast moves beyond the headlines to examine the military, diplomatic, and strategic forces shaping the ongoing tensions between Iran, the United States, and Israel. Hosted by veteran foreign correspondents Roland Oliphant and Venetia Rainey, each episode synthesizes frontline reporting from the paper's award-winning journalists with insightful conversations. You'll hear from specialists in areas like regional security architecture, covert operations, and geopolitical theory, providing a clearer picture of the stakes involved. The analysis considers historical grievances, economic pressures, and potential flashpoints, from proxy conflicts to direct confrontations. It’s a resource for anyone who wants to grasp not just what is happening, but why it matters and what might come next. By drawing on deep sourcing and expert commentary, this podcast delivers a nuanced perspective that is both timely and thoroughly researched, making sense of a critical and often misunderstood arena of global affairs.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

Iran: The Latest
Podcast Episodes
Iran's Trump assassination plot & Houthis restart Yemen war [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:03
Iran’s proxy group the Houthis have launched fresh missile attacks on Yemeni ports in the Red Sea as their conflict with Saudi Arabia heats up. A new war in the Arabian Peninsula is now inevitable, according to former Ye…
US blockade squeezes Iran & Tehran names price to reopen Hormuz [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:09
Iran has issued a series of demands to the US in return for reopening the Strait of Hormuz - everything from war reparations to withdrawing regional military assets. Many of them echo the previous peace deal, so will Don…
Why Trump can’t trust Iran: the fatal flaw in any peace deal [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 22:32
Donald Trump is holding off on any further military action against Iran in the hope of striking a diplomatic breakthrough to end the war - but is he wasting his time?For this bonus episode of Iran: the Latest, Venetia Ra…
‘Bizarre’ Iran-Oman Strait of Hormuz deal cuts out Trump [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 36:30
Iran and Oman are reported to be on the verge of signing a historic deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz that would put Tehran in control of all inbound traffic. Will Donald Trump approve the deal - and with the US appare…
Trump considers Iran land blockade as conflict reignites [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:29
Israel and the US consider are considering land blockade on Iran, as President Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu look to tighten the economic squeeze on Tehran. Elsewhere, the security landscape has been rocked by the news th…