Trump faces major test as Americans vote in crucial US midterm elections

Trump faces major test as Americans vote in crucial US midterm elections

Trump’s low approval ratings, economic concerns and opposition to his foreign policy are putting Republican candidates under pressure as voters decide control of Congress.

Americans are voting in the 2026 midterm elections, with President Donald Trump facing a major political test as his approval ratings hit a record low and growing dissatisfaction over the economy and foreign policy threatens Republican support.

The elections, being held on Tuesday, will determine which party controls the two chambers of Congress — the House of Representatives and the Senate — while some states will also elect governors.

Although the contests are primarily about choosing lawmakers and state leaders, they are widely viewed as a referendum on Trump's performance halfway through his presidency.

With inflation, the Iran war and other international tensions weighing on public sentiment, some Republican candidates in competitive races are reportedly keeping their distance from the president.

Trump's endorsement remains influential in Republican primaries, where candidates compete for their party's nomination. However, his unpopularity could become a liability in the general election, particularly among moderate and swing voters.

US President Donald Trump delivers a final campaign speech at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool in Washington, DC, on November 2, 2026, ahead of the midterm elections. (Photo: Mark Schiefelbein/AP Photo/dpa/picture alliance)

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DW spoke to Republican strategist Barret Marson about how some candidates are subtly distancing themselves from Trump's policies, which have contributed to rising inflation and prolonged unpopular wars.

Nicolas Veron of the Peterson Institute also discussed what he sees as the Republican Party's failure to develop an alternative strategy.

Midterm elections are held every four years, halfway through a president's four-year term, giving voters an opportunity to determine who represents them in Congress.

J. Miles Coleman, an election analyst at the Centre for Politics at the University of Virginia, explained before the last midterms that they were "often a referendum on the president and party currently in power."

Historically, the party controlling the White House performs better when voters are satisfied with the president's leadership and struggles when public dissatisfaction grows.

With Trump's approval ratings now at a record low, Republicans face the possibility of losing ground in Congress.

Final campaign push

The final day of campaigning on Monday saw Democratic candidates take their message to key Republican strongholds in Texas, Iowa, Ohio and Kansas, seeking to capitalise on voter dissatisfaction with the Iran war and rising prices.

Republicans, meanwhile, portrayed their opponents as left-wing radicals while defending Trump's immigration crackdown and tax cuts, arguing that the policies would benefit Americans.

At his final public campaign appearance at the National Mall, Trump appeared to lower expectations for his party's performance.

"For some reason, the sitting president doesn't win the midterms, but we gave this a very strong shot," he said, adding that the Democrats had "nominated the most extreme and dangerous slate of candidates in American history."

In lengthy remarks, Trump said little about the national economy, insisting only that it was "great". Instead, much of his speech focused on the renovation of Washington's algae-plagued Reflecting Pool.

Vice President JD Vance also campaigned in Rome, New York, where he praised Trump's efforts to end taxes on tips and overtime and secure the US border, while describing Democrats as "lunatics."