Trump faces mounting political pressure at home and abroad as midterms near

The useful part

Republicans facing reelection fights this fall are in the position they often face. They would like to appeal to voters but are chained to a president who does what he wants. Now, so far this week, President Trump has clashed with Iran, China, Canada and even some members of his own party, fights that emphasize inflation and war.

How it works

• What's unclear is how these sanction threats might get applied and how seriously countries like China take them in the next couple of months.
• There are candidates now proposing moratoriums, attacking their opponents for being too soft on data centers, just trying to put forward a stance that matches this public backlash.
• He recently said that he thinks every town should have a data center because he says that it brings in jobs and tax benefits.
• That puts him at odds, Steve, with the 7 out of 10 Americans who are opposed to a data center getting built in their area, according to Gallup.
• When it comes to lowering costs, Trump just points to how he lowered the price of eggs, which happened a year and a half ago.

What to take from it

That was an effort to try and lower the cost of beef, which has increased in part because of the war. NPR does not offer or accept money for coverage or interviews. INSKEEP: NPR White House correspondent Deepa Shivaram is covering all of this.

Example or evidence

• He's done just one event in front of cameras this week where he talked about education and then invited guests to go on a tour of the South Lawn, where he's building a new helipad.
• It was a conflict that when Trump started, said it would last about six weeks.
• This has led to a different approach the administration is trying to take, where Trump is now threatening sanctions against Iran and other countries that do business with Iran, which includes China.
• Trump's tariff tactics aren't new, but it's reignited tensions with an ally and it's likely to increase prices even more for Americans.

Details worth keeping

This war continues to be unpopular among voters. Trump's under a lot of pressure to end this war. He's running out of time before the midterms.

Related coverage

• Japantimes: U.S. President Donald Trump's ambitious foreign policy agenda — including the war in Iran — appears stuck as he heads into November's midterm elections.
• Tribune: US president's approval rating falls to 33% as Iran conflict stalls and Gaza, Ukraine peace bids falter
• Westhawaiitoday: With Iran diplomacy stalled, financial markets uneasy and his approval rating at another low point, President Donald Trump reverted to familiar territory on Wednesday, leading reporters on a tour of White...