The Intelligence from The Economist An act of self-harm: Trump’s latest war might be his undoing
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Mar 19, 2026 
Rebecca Jackson, Southern correspondent who tracks US social trends, and Piotr Zalewski, Turkey correspondent covering Turkish politics. They discuss Trump's risky war in Iran and how it could weaken his leverage. They explore İmamoğlu's trial and Erdoğan's use of foreign policy to distract from domestic backsliding. They also report on Americans sabotaging food-delivery robots amid cultural unease.
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War Undermines Trump's Reality Shaping
- Donald Trump's unilateral war has visibly contradicted his claims of swift victory, eroding his ability to define reality for voters.
- Robert Guest notes rising fuel prices and visible economic pain make his proclamations about success unmistakably false to everyday Americans.
Allies Reluctant To Be Coerced By Trump
- The Iran war has weakened Trump's coercive leverage because allies see he disparaged NATO yet now asks for help.
- Robert Guest explains NATO partners are reluctant to rescue a president who threatened them and even joked about annexing Danish territory.
Broken Promises Threaten Republican Electoral Prospects
- The war breaks key campaign promises—no foreign wars and rapid inflation relief—risking moderate voters who swung to Trump.
- Guest links this to a ten-point swing in betting markets and a 50-50 chance Democrats take the Senate.