Economist Podcasts An act of self-harm: Trump’s latest war might be his undoing
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Mar 19, 2026 
Rebecca Jackson, The Economist’s Southern correspondent, and Piotr Zalewski, its Turkey correspondent, dive into Trump’s risky Iran war gamble, why a weaker president could turn more volatile, and how Erdogan’s regional influence helps hide democratic decline. They also explore Ekrem Imamoglu’s trial and the strange American backlash against delivery robots.
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Broken Promises Threaten Midterm Coalition
- The war jeopardises Trump's ability to win over swing and younger voters who backed him on antiwar and anti-inflation promises.
- Broken pledges on no foreign wars and immediate price relief cost him crucial midterm support.
Midterms Could Flip Power And Enable Oversight
- Market odds shifted after the war, making a Democratic Senate takeover plausible and giving Democrats subpoena power.
- That would constrain the administration and risk exposing wrongdoing under oath.
Stopping Now Won't Instantly Fix The Damage
- Declaring victory is complicated because Iran can continue retaliatory strikes, prolonging economic damage.
- Even a quick halt won't undo damage to gas and oil logistics that take months to normalise.