Sep 25, 2026 · 9 min
Republicans test how far they can break with Trump
Republican lawmakers are breaking with Trump. Will it last?
The midterms will show whether Republican candidates can distance themselves from Trump without losing the party’s still-loyal voters.
- 1Republican candidates are criticizing Trump over the Iran war, rising costs and other concerns as competitive midterm races tighten.
- 2Trump has largely ignored voter backlash on technology and data centers instead of changing his pro-technology stance.
- 3Visible Republican dissent is growing, but it remains limited while Trump retains strong approval among Republican voters.
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The reporters weigh Senator John Curtis’s challenge to Trump against the continued strength of Trump’s approval among Republican voters.
The brief
As the midterms approach, Republican candidates in competitive races are separating themselves from Trump on the Iran war, rising costs and other voter concerns.
Elena Moore and Deepa Shivaram explain how candidates changed their messages after the primaries, amid Democratic advantages in the polls and pressure to define themselves apart from Trump.
Republican Senate candidates have criticized the Iran war and blamed it for rising costs, while Trump has not strongly retaliated against those breaks.
The reporters find Trump largely unmoved by backlash over artificial intelligence and data centers, maintaining his pro-technology stance rather than adapting to voter pressure.
The central tension remains unresolved: some lawmakers, including John Curtis, see Trump’s grip weakening, but dissent still comes from a small group while GOP approval stays high.
Featuring
Deepa Shivaram
Donald John Trump
Thomas Massie
Liz CheneyListen to the full episode and explore every guest, topic, and moment on PodLume.