Politics

The Iran War at Six Months: A Region-and Its Relationship With the U.S.-Transformed

Council on Foreign Relations
Articles
The Iran War at Six Months: A Region—and Its Relationship With the U.S.—Transformed
The U.S. war with Iran has raised new questions about the United States’ role in the Middle East, the balance of power in the region, and whether U.S. actions will fuel extremism.
By experts and staff
Published
August 27, 2026 4:45 p.m.
Steven A. CookCFR Expert
Eni Enrico Mattei Senior Fellow for Middle East and Africa Studies
Farah PandithCFR Expert
Senior Fellow
Henri J. BarkeyCFR Expert
Adjunct Senior Fellow for Middle East Studies
Elliott AbramsCFR Expert
Senior Fellow for Middle Eastern Studies
Bruce HoffmanCFR Expert
Shelby Cullom and Kathryn W. Davis Senior Fellow for Counterterrorism and Homeland Security
Ed HusainCFR Expert
Senior Fellow
Elisa EwersCFR Expert
Senior Fellow for Middle East Studies
On February 28, 2026, the United States and Israel attacked Iran, killing Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and targeting the country’s nuclear and military infrastructure. A Pakistan-mediated ceasefire and June memorandum of understanding halted large-scale fighting, but both sides have since traded strikes over alleged violations. Six months on, CFR experts weigh in on what the war means for the United States and the region, and what to look for moving forward.
Trump’s Iran Miscalculation Leaves U.S. Confronting Strategic Defeat
Steven A. Cook is Eni Enrico Mattei senior fellow for Middle East and Africa studies at CFR. He is an expert on Arab and Turkish politics as well as U.S.-Middle East policy.
U.S. President Donald Trump has sought to salvage Operation Epic Fury, which he expected would require four to six weeks to secure victory, with economic pressure. The president clearly never expected Iran’s willingness to resist U.S. military power. It was a major miscalculation. After six months of war, on-again, off-again negotiation, intermittent escalation, and stalemate, freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz is greatly compromised, U.S. partners on the western side of the Persian Gulf are vulnerable to Iranian attacks, and the incentive for Tehran to weaponize its nuclear program (or what is left of it) is greater than ever. These are significant setbacks and represent a strategic defeat for Washington if they are not reversed.
By pursuing Operation Economic Outcast, the president believes that inflicting economic pain will force the collapse of the regime—or at a minimum render Iranian leaders more amenable to negotiation. But Trump may be overstating the potential effect of more economic pain. After all, the economic situation for most Iranians has been bad for years and has only gotten worse since the beginning of the war. That is why, in part, they took to the streets in December 2025 and January 2026, demanding change. The defenders of the Islamic Republic will not come unprepared. They have already demonstrated a willingness to kill, arrest, and otherwise suppress their own citizens who are seeking change.
Economic warfare is just as uncertain as the conventional variety. Because Trump expected a quick victory, he is now confronted with the possibility of defeat and a stack of questions (with few answers) among regional leaders about the United States’ ability and willingness to ensure their security.
[Video: https://youtu.be/Asykfcte8ZM ]
The Iran War Has Opened New Chapter of Extremism
Farah Pandith is a senior fellow at CFR whose expertise includes countering violent extremism. She served in the administrations of U.S. Presidents Barack Obama, George W. Bush, and George H.W. Bush, and is the author of How We Win.
The U.S.-Israeli war against Iran has provided Tehran and its proxies with another opening to radicalize and recruit new adherents, particularly global youth vulnerable to extremist ideology. Of course, the war is just one facet of an already fraught and complex ecosystem fueled by Hamas’s 2023 attack on Israel, the Israeli response in the Gaza Strip and Lebanon, the fall of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, diplomatic normalization between Israel and Muslim-majority nations, and significant anti-Muslim and anti-Arab political and online rhetoric in the United States and Israel.
These issues have helped shape the way Gen Z sees the world. But the war has added further fuel to Iran’s use of well-timed, sophisticated online propaganda that utilizes memes, videos, and social media to reinforce decades-old narratives and grievances about Israel and the United States, emphasize taking action against soft targets such as infrastructure and synagogues, and seize increasingly ripe opportunities to sow fear among ordinary citizens.
Indeed, Iran has demonstrated six months of successful storytelling in the online space, creating a dangerous content advantage that will encourage individuals to act even if they are not formally associated with Iran or its proxies. This could involve attempted assassinations of public figures and other violence in the U.S. homeland through radicalization and recruitment, including efforts to engage youth and criminals through cash incentives. Having a new opportunity to inspire violence against Jews, symbolic targets, and businesses associated with the United States and Israel also fuels Iran’s recruitment machine—an edge that will persist without a concerted effort by Washington to counter Tehran’s influencing efforts. And by expanding its geographic reach, including finding ways to poke inside of the United States and finding targets to hit, Iran will gain more power and influence on future ideological armies.
Even if hostilities cease tomorrow, there has been so much content generated—and there are so many ways for Iran to engage young people 24/7 to tell the story it wants to tell—that it is likely the damage from this war will reverberate for years to come. Extremists thrive when they can create new armies. The events of the last six months, showcased on small phone screens in every possible manner, have opened a new chapter in violent extremism for which the United States is not prepared.
With Iran War, Turkey Wins Regardless of Who Prevails
Henri J. Barkey is an adjunct senior fellow for Middle East studies at CFR and the Bernard L. and Bertha F. Cohen chair in international relations at Lehigh University (Emeritus).
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has striven to make his country a significant regional and global power—and the war in Iran is an opportunity to expand Turkey’s influence in the Middle East. Paradoxically, Ankara benefits regardless of the war’s outcome. As one of the strongest military powers in the region, Turkey would see its standing as a counterweight or balancer boosted by a U.S. defeat.
The Mecca Joint Defense Agreement, which Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey signed on August 7, is a sign of the region’s growing need for Turkey. Initiated by Saudi Arabia, the agreement formally incorporates Turkey into a regional security alliance. This is the first such arrangement since the Baghdad Pact in 1955. Even if the Mecca accord does not amount to much, it will have helped Turkey break through the invisible veil of distrust maintained by the Gulf countries.
Washington has never wanted Ankara to play an autonomous role in the region, except perhaps as a supporter. Motivated by a desire to upset previous U.S. foreign policy preferences—and by his sympathy for a fellow populist and tough authoritarian leader—U.S. President Donald Trump has signaled a change in this policy. Trump, quite the contrary, expects Erdoğan to be of assistance when the time comes to constrain Iranian meddling.
Even before the war, Trump had envisioned that increased Turkish clout could help set in motion a reduction in the regional U.S. military presence. The Iran war may even accelerate this process. A defeat that reduces the United States’ sway in the region, and correspondingly Israel’s as well, is a win for Erdoğan’s long-term objectives.
A U.S. victory against Iran would also benefit Turkey, although perhaps not as much strategically. Iran’s revisionist and disruptive policies have historically engendered instability and conflict in the region. It has been Iran’s way to shape it. As such, it has become Turkey’s primary rival. Hence, the defeat of the ayatollahs and regime change in Iran would open new avenues, especially economic, for Ankara.
U.S.-Israel Military Ties as Tight as Ever, Despite Political Tensions
Elliott Abrams is senior fellow for Middle East studies at CFR. He served as special representative for Iran in the first Trump administration.
The conflict with Iran has tightened U.S.-Israel military relations, but it has led to diplomatic differences and intensified attacks on the bilateral relationship from extremes on both the left and right in the United States.
Much like the joint attack on Iran’s nuclear sites in June 2025, the 2026 conflict has cemented collaboration between the Israel Defense Forces and U.S. forces under U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM). Dozens of U.S. Air Force planes are now based in Israel, the two militaries share targeting data on Iran, and U.S. Air Force tankers have refueled Israeli Air Force combat jets. This is one of the most extensive patterns of military cooperation since the alliance between the United States and the United Kingdom during World War II.
Yet during this same period, disagreements over Gaza, Lebanon, Syria, and Iran itself have caused intermittent friction and elicited critical language in Washington about Israeli policy. The U.S. goal now is to force a change in the Iranian regime’s behavior, particularly over its nuclear weapons program and efforts to control the Strait of Hormuz, although Israel sees regime change in Iran as the only real option. As a result, U.S.-Iran compromise, such as the memorandum of understanding signed in June, will continue to be a cause of discord.
Opinion polls suggest that support for Israel has declined substantially among both major political parties in the United States, though how much of that decline reflects the Iran conflict and how much reflects criticism over Gaza or other issues is difficult to distinguish. Fierce U.S. critics of Israel on the left and right continue to suggest that it lured the United States into war with Iran and seeks to do so again. In that sense, the continuing conflict feeds preexisting antisemitic and anti-Israel forces.
Iran’s Proxies War
Bruce Hoffman is Shelby Cullom and Kathryn W. Davis senior fellow for counterterrorism and homeland security at CFR.
At the outset of the U.S.-Iran war, many expected Iran to activate its proxy terrorist network to target the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, and other European countries. But, instead of directly deploying sophisticated operatives from Hezbollah or Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Quds Force, Iran has relied on a variegated collection of pay-for-hire criminals, often recruited online, or turned to expatriates with long-standing ties to, or familiar relations in, Iran and Lebanon. Through these cut-outs, Tehran has sought to obscure its hand behind a series of relatively unsophisticated attacks that have mostly involved arson, crude incendiary devices, vehicular rammings, stabbings, and more serious incidents using actual bombs and hand grenades.
In Europe, for instance, a previously unknown group calling itself Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamia (HAYI) had claimed eighteen attacks across Europe and London in March and April. While property damage has been the most common outcome, two Jewish men were seriously wounded in an April knife attack in London’s Golders Green neighborhood. British authorities believe that the IRGC and Quds Force are behind the HAYI incidents.
In March, a Lebanese-born naturalized American citizen carried out a vehicle-ramming and shooting at a synagogue in West Bloomfield, Michigan—the largest Jewish temple in the state. Two of his brothers—one of whom was a Hezbollah commander in Lebanon, according to Israel’s Foreign Ministry—had been killed by the Israel Defense Forces, and the attacker reportedly sought revenge. The FBI characterized the assault as “a Hizballah-inspired act of terrorism purposely” targeting the Jewish community.
It is also worth noting that, since 2022, the so-called Foxtrot Network, an Iranian-backed organized crime group, is believed to have been responsible for three-dozen murders as well as a series of attacks and attempted attacks—two involving explosives—on Israeli targets in Europe. Law enforcement authorities describe the network as a “violence-as-a-service” or VaaS criminal enterprise, that recruits teenage operatives who are paid in cash—unless they are caught, when they are abandoned. This is an ominous development that is unlikely to abate—especially if the war escalates.
Issues Remain, but Arabian Peninsula Is Safer Than Before
Ed Husain is a senior fellow at CFR focused on U.S. foreign policy toward the Middle East, particularly Arab-Israeli relations after the Abraham Accords, the geopolitical interplay of Arab Gulf states, and Islamist terrorism.
If there was any sympathy across the Arabian Peninsula for Iran’s cause and plight since 1979, these last six months have seen it definitively crater. The Shiite Iranian government’s victimhood narrative no longer holds, as it has repeatedly attacked every Arab Gulf state. In doing so, Iran has isolated itself from Sunni Arabs. Saudi Arabia is home to Islam’s two holiest sites, and to a Sunni tradition that is followed by around 90 percent of the world’s more than 1.8 billion Muslims. Iran’s government amplifies the Palestinian cause to outbid Saudi Arabia and the peninsula, but it has failed again. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has come under particularly heavy fire, sustaining more attacks than even Israel since the war started.
As Iran’s clerical regime has attacked civilian infrastructure across the Arabian Peninsula, as well as U.S. interests and bases, the leadership of Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, and the UAE has moved ever closer to the United States. And although Iran has tried to destroy the Abraham Accords alliance between Israel and Arab countries, those accords have helped protect the skies of the UAE with an interception success rate above 90 percent.
Beyond battles and drones, Iran’s attacks are about competing visions for the future of the Middle East. Gulf nations may not have been united in their responses to Iran’s attacks, but their leadership, defenses, and partnership with the United States still demonstrate strength.
Two issues remain of immediate concern: the Iran-backed Houthi rebel group in Yemen and the Strait of Hormuz. For all the commentary claiming Iranian victory, a nuclear Iran controlling the strait and supporting the Houthis would have been much more devastating.
Although conflict will not end until the regime in Tehran falls, there is no doubt the Arabian Peninsula is safer today with a defanged and denuclearized Iran—for now.
Two Countries Offer Cautious Promise Amid War and Instability
Amid the Iran war, developments in two countries offer important lessons: Lebanon and Syria. Both are in consequential yet fragile phases of rebuilding after half a century of strife and Iranian influence. Both find their futures dependent on an emerging region reshaped by war and instability. And in both cases, the Trump administration has sought an uncharacteristically diplomatic role, leading mediation and rallying international support. These efforts have been important, even if the results have been mixed.
The Lebanese government remains the most promising actor—it has prioritized asserting sovereignty over its own territory and decision-making after decades of ceding both to Hezbollah. That effort faces limitations, most critically Israel’s continued presence in the south and an air campaign that has killed thousands and displaced one million more. Hezbollah is down but not out, giving the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps a restricted but continuing foothold in Lebanon. Hezbollah’s disarmament—along with Lebanon’s economic recovery—remains an over-the-horizon, yet still possible aspiration.
Neither transition was going to be easy. And although both governments have tried to stay out of the Iran war, they are deeply affected by it. Israel’s own security posture—buffer zones, strikes on Syrian forces, renewed war in Lebanon—acts as an additional driver of the instability that Beirut and Damascus are trying to escape. A region rattled by contested shipping lanes, attacks on infrastructure, and a changed investment climate limits the attention span and capital available to support these countries.
Still, development in Lebanon and Syria are arguably the most promising since the June 2025 strikes on Iran, even if they remain vulnerable to the region’s broader instability.
This work represents the views solely of the author(s). The Council on Foreign Relations is an independent, nonpartisan membership organization, think tank, and publisher, and takes no institutional positions on matters of policy.

Politics

Miliband rejects chief rabbi’s claim British Jews in greater danger after sanctions move

Ed Miliband, the Foreign Secretary has dismissed the Chief Rabbi’s claim that British Jews face greater danger after UK sanctions were announced on Israeli settlements within the West Bank.
Miliband, a proud British Jew, said he did not agree with UK Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis who called the decision a “truly dreadful day”. He added that it would only “foster the extremism that they are trying to combat”.
Miliband stated that “we all need to do a lot more to combat antisemitism”, but he believes we can achieve this and still stand up for British Values.
In the UK, antisemitic incidents are on the rise. The UK has imposed sanctions against trade with illegal settlements located in the West Bank occupied.
In the first half of 2026 the Community Security Trust, an organization that offers security to the Jewish Community, reported 1,926 anti-Jewish incidents across the UK, which is a 21% rise compared with the same period of 2025.
The Prime Minister Andy Burnham, who is the leader of his government, defended its decision by telling parliamentarians that Britain must stand up for justice against injustice.
He said: “When people are bullied from their homes, we’ll always be with them.”
Palestinian President welcomed UK decision saying that it is “an important move towards confronting Israel colonial system, and its abuses against Palestinians”.
The reaction of the Jewish community in the UK to the possible security implications and sanctions has been mixed.
The Chief Rabbi called the announcement of the Government “little more” than a political banner bearing mendacious anti Israel rhetoric.
Sir Ephraim stated: “Gesture Politics of This Kind Feeds Into An Increasingly Hostile Discourse About Israel. And The Cumulative Effect of Such Punitive Policies is To Further Empower Those, At Home and Abroad, Who Use Hatred As A Weapon Against Jews.”
When asked about Mirvis’s remarks, Miliband replied: “I do not agree with the chief Rabbi, someone… whom I have great regard.”
According to him, he told BBC Radio 4 Today that anyone who blames British Jews, or Jews anywhere in the world, for the actions taken by the Israeli government is perpetrating antisemitism.
The Jewish Leadership Council warned that the decision of the British government “risked becoming a boycott of Israel de facto” and Miliband was accused of giving in to the pressure of the extreme elements within British society.
Board of Deputies of British Jews: The decision to announce the news before Rosh HaShanah, the Jewish New Year Festival that begins this Friday, brings with it “concerns about communal security on the highest level… especially felt by British Jews”.
The statement noted that it has warned Israel about the “intolerable violence by settler groups” which harms Israel’s image.
The Greater Manchester Police announced Wednesday that additional resources will be provided during Jewish High Holy Days in order to “provide extra visibility and security”, and “ensure all can celebrate safely”.
Dave Meeney, Ch Supt Dave said that “our officers will continue to work with Jewish communities in this period of importance for their faith. We understand it is a moment which could bring increased concern for the Jewish community.”
Na’amod, a group of UK Jews who want to stop Israel’s occupation, and support equality between Palestinians and Israelis, welcomed Wednesday’s decision. They said they had been waiting for years to see the British Government take action.
There is no single Jewish view of Israel. “We reject the claim that Tuesday’s UK government measures would contribute to antisemitism.”
According to the Movement for Progressive Judaism, “while it is important not to ignore the vulnerability of British Jews”, actions directed towards Israeli settlements are “not the same thing as an assault on Jews”.
In a press release, it stated that “we should be careful not to blur the lines between these two groups.”
The diplomatic row
These sanctions sparked a diplomatic dispute with Israel, which closed down the British Consulate in East Jerusalem. It also banned 11 members of parliament and an activist from entering the country.
Amichai Chkli, Israel’s Diaspora minister, wrote on Wednesday to the Israeli border controller recommending several others British-linked organisations and individuals be denied entry into Israel.
Oxfam is on the list, as well as Save the Children and Islamic Relief Worldwide.
Miliband announced the sanctions on Tuesday in the Commons. He said that a “new approach” is needed due to the controversial E1 settlement plan, which would divide East Jerusalem from the West Bank and effectively separate the two.
He told the MPs the UK also agreed that ethnic cleansing was taking place in the West Bank, accusing the “settler terrorists”, of driving Palestinians off their land.
Sanctions will be imposed on companies and individuals who provide services such as construction or financing settlements. Advertising illegal settlements will be banned in the UK. Miliband stated that the implementation of these measures may take as long as nine months.

Politics

Rhode Island’s governor faces formidable primary opponent and more to watch today

Rhode Island voters will go to the polls on Wednesday with Gov. Daniel McKee facing a primary challenge from Helena Foulkes, with the latest Emerson College poll having Foulkes ahead by 15 points in a rematch of the 2022 primary, where McKee just narrowly came out on top.
While 25% of voters were undecided at the time of the poll and McKee did gain 5% since May, he is among the nation’s least popular governors, ranked as the third lowest approval rating for a governor by Morning Consult. If McKee loses, he will be the first elected sitting governor to lose in a primary since 2014.
Here are the races to watch today:
Rhode Island governor’s race
Originally serving as lieutenant governor, McKee assumed the position in 2021 after Gina Raimondo was tapped by former President Joe Biden to become secretary of commerce. He was reelected in 2022, but his first full term has been plagued by the Washington Bridge closure.
The westbound bridge which carries traffic from East Providence to Providence was shut down in December 2023 after broken anchor rods were discovered. The rebuild of the bridge is set to cost $427 million and is scheduled to be completed in Nov. 2028, but the project was initially set to cost $368 million and be finished this past August. Whether or not McKee is responsible, the bridge has swayed voters away, said Maureen Moakley, a professor emeritus at University Rhode Island.
“He is unpopular,” Moakley said. “He was doomed from Day One because of the bridge…the attitude of the voters I think is we need some change, we need some new people.”
Foulkes has never served in public office, but she has political ties. Her uncle and grandfather, Chris and Thomas Dodd, were senators, and she is endorsed by Nancy Pelosi, who was college roommates with Foulkes’ mother.
The former CVS pharmacy president has campaigned on housing and affordability, some of the most important issues of this election season. She has leaned into her 25-year-career as evidence for why she can make healthcare more accessible, such as by raising Medicaid reimbursement rates, and she’s proposed a Millionaire’s Tax, which would allot money to build over 20,000 homes by adding an additional 3% tax on incomes over $1,000,000.
Adam Myers, a professor of political science at Providence College, told CBS that while these are top-of-mind issues for voters, this is not a matter of Foulkes’ policies against McKee’s.
“This election is more of a referendum on McKee than it is a vote like about her,” Myers said. “They don’t perceive McKee as a competent governor, and they think that Foulkes is going to bring more competence to the position, and I don’t really think it has a whole lot to do with her stances on the issues.”
The Cook Political Report labels the general election as solid Democratic. Republicans Aarron Guckian and Elaine Pelino will square off to be the GOP candidate in November.
Providence mayor
McKee may not be the only state official to lose his position. As the Democrat Party sees a rise in more radical candidates, Providence hosts its own test of ideology.
Democratic socialist and State Representative David Morales is challenging first-term Mayor Brett Smiley. Morales carries endorsements from progressives like Sen. Bernie Sanders and Rep. Ro Khanna. Smiley has tried to draw stark contrast from his opponent, alleging Morales wants to defund the police. Morales has denied that he would, but the 27-year-old does support more leftist policies like rent stabilization.
“It’s possible that all of these major elected officials in Rhode Island will lose their races,” Myers said. “It will definitely be kind of like a minor earthquake in Rhode Island politics if that happens.”

Politics

Trump gets one more starring role at GOP’s midterm convention

Since the beginning of his presidency, Donald Trump has been the main protagonist in his political party. He is a force that drives its conventions, rallies and identity.
This week Republicans have taken that dedication a step forward, gathering at Trump’s request in Texas for an unprecedented convention to honor him. Trump will attend both evenings of the convention and observe from his suite the display of loyalty by party leaders and their allies.
The reality that this could be the final Trumpfest is becoming increasingly apparent.
In just 55 days voters will determine who will control Congress during the last two years of Trump’s presidency. His unpopularity is causing a fierce backlash against his own party, and has even led some Republicans to miss the Dallas festivities. In the next few weeks, the focus will shift to the Republicans jockeying for his successor, as Trump begins to face a lengthy countdown before leaving office.
Matt Schlapp is the Chairman of the American Conservative Union. But the truth is, we will have to find out how to do that.
In the last 10 years, walking into any large conservative event meant entering a world dominated by Donald Trump. They’re all over the place: his name, red hats and his likeness. Impersonators of Trump with his hair and other recognizable features pose for photos with supporters. Some flash Trump sneakers or watches.
A golden statue of Trump will be wheeled in 2021 to the Conservative Political Action Conference.
Jon McNaughton’s surreal portrayals of Trump have gained him a large following. He has depicted Trump as Atlas, a boxer destroying Joe Biden and as the fifth Face on Mount Rushmore. The work of McNaughton has been a hit with Trump fans and caught even the attention of President Trump. McNaughton has begun to think about what it would mean to depict Trump as an historical figure, rather than the president he is currently.
McNaughton, in an email to CNN, said that Trump would become a more prominent archetype for future works, just as I have used Washington, Lincoln Kennedy, or Reagan in the past to illustrate different aspects of American history. Trump represents both restoration and disruption, sometimes at the same time. “Viewers can now decide what these ideas mean.”
Trump considers his legacy
Trump has himself shown signs that he is aware of the clock ticking.
In a recent interview with New York Magazine, the president said that he wanted to make a mark in Washington because, “nobody else will be able to do this once I am gone.” He imagined being at home, after stepping down from office, and watching his successors take credit for manufacturing plants that were built during his tenure.
Trump asked his audience, “Will you remember I did this?”
Trump’s advisers are well aware that Trump won’t be at the forefront of their party as 2028 approaches. White House officials confirmed that Trump privately sought advice from aides on how to avoid the traps that come with a lame duck presidency.
One of the officials stated, “It is because he’s so focused on his own legacy.”
No one expects Trump’s political career to end quietly.
It is likely that he will play a major role in selecting his successor. This could be Vice President JDVance, Secretary Marco Rubio, or anyone else. A president who transformed America’s celebration of its 250th anniversary into the standard Trump rally, and created a midterm congress could have plenty more reasons to call Republicans together before or after he leaves office.
Doug Heye is a GOP strategist who has been in the industry for many years. He said that if Trump is not like any president before him, it is foolish to think he will be just another lame duck.
Sean Spicer said that he would not be surprised to see Republicans find new ways to engage the base by holding events in support of Trump.
Spicer stated that “no one is able to get as many people together like Trump.” Spicer said, “If you get Trump to keep doing them then that is a big thing.”
Trump may not be able to prevent all the changes that will occur, but even he cannot stop them.
Republicans with presidential aspirations will start to maneuver for positions after the midterms. This will force the GOP to consider the direction of the GOP and Trump’s future movement once Trump is gone. It will be the very first time since 2012 that someone else than Trump accepts the nomination of the Republican Party at the next Republican National Convention.
After Trump, the GOP will be in a new direction
It has been possible to see a glimpse of how that could look.
Trump missed the Conservative Political Action Conference in Dallas this year for the first time since 2010. Schlapp’s organization, which organizes CPAC, says that Trump’s lack of attendance initially disappointed the attendees. However, it gave Schlapp insight on what grassroots activism and conservative events might be like after Trump leaves office.
The presence of Schlapp was so overwhelming that it allowed for other dynamic to take place.
Trump is using the midterms to send a message to Republican voters and officials: either rally behind his presidency or let Democrats destroy it. In the first ads from Trump’s political campaign, he is portrayed as “the strongest, most resilient individual,” according to a narration. There are no other Republicans mentioned.
The president is scheduled to tour the nation for the next eight-weeks, holding more than 30 rallies planned in battleground districts and states. MAGA Inc., an aligned Trump super PAC had $400,000,000 on hand in the last month. The president has made it clear that he will supervise how this money is spent. The group announced earlier this month that it purchased $10,000,000 of advertising space in support of Texas Senate Candidate Ken Paxton.
This approach is designed to test whether Trump’s supporters who consistently supported him during his election campaigns and accepted his party transformation will still show up when Trump doesn’t appear on the ballot. The gamble isn’t without risks, as Trump’s popularity has continued to stagnate. It is a gamble that comes with risk, as his popularity continues to stall.
Gruters said that Trump’s support among Republicans is still strong, and that they would be relying on it in Dallas, and throughout the rest of the fall.
Gruters explained that when you are in the bottom ninth inning, and there are runners on base, and you have a low score, it is important to bring up your best batter. For us, this would be the President of the United States.

Politics

Gov Dan McKee faces primary rematch amid Washington Bridge construction delays

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Democratic Gov. Dan McKee, the Rhode Island governor who faces a possible downfall due to the three-year partial shutdown of an important bridge in his state on Wednesday, is fighting for the life of his career.
McKee assumed his first office in March 2020 when the then-Gov. Gina Raimondo left her post to take over as U.S. Commerce Secretary. Then, he was elected for another full term four years earlier. McKee now tries to prevent becoming the first elected Governor in 12 years not to be re-elected.
Helena Buonanno Foulkes is the former executive of CVS, located in Rhode Island, who is now facing off against him in a primary match.
These 12 midterm races will determine which party controls the Senate
McKee, the niece of the former Democratic Senator Chris Dodd from Connecticut and neighboring New York, narrowly beat Foulkes in a field of multiple candidates in 2022’s Democratic Primary before winning in this solidly blue State.
According to Rhode Island’s campaign finance records, Foulkes has outspent the Governor by nearly a two-to-1 margin.
McKee’s handling of the Washington Bridge reconstruction, which closed in December 2023 when officials discovered critical structural flaws, is also a negative.
Before its westbound span had been closed, the bridge carried approximately 100,000 vehicles daily. The eastbound span has been reconfigured to accommodate both westbound and eastbound traffic.
The original estimate by the state officials was that the bridge would be reopened this year. However, the date of completion has been pushed to November 2028.
McKee and Foulkes are fighting over how to bid for the reconstruction of the bridge and when it will be completed.
McKee, in an attempt to counter criticism about his management of the bridge project, has called Foulkes a corporate executive out of touch who is trying to win an election.
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The high rates of electricity Rhode Islanders are charged and the severe lack of affordable housing in the state also work against him.
In the general election, the winner of the Democratic primaries will be the favorite against Aaron Guckian – a former actor and first time candidate Elaine Pelino – who is running for Republican nomination. Guckian has been endorsed by the state GOP.
Two longshots are challenging Jack Reed in the Democratic Party’s primaries. Reed has been a senator for over 30 years.
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Raymond McKay is the Republican Senate’s presumptive nominee. He was the former President of the Rhode Island Republican Assembly, and also a leading official in the state GOP.
In the 1st Congressional District of the State, Democratic Rep. Gabe Amo is not facing any opposition to his re-election. Entrepreneur Kellie Keenan will be the presumed GOP candidate.
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Seth Magaziner, a Democratic Representative from Rhode Island’s 2nd Congressional District is presumed to be the nominee.
In the Republican primaries, Victory Mellor (businessman) and Stephen Skoly (physician) are in a face-off.

Politics

What to know about the Republican midterm convention : NPR

The unconventional midterm convention, which begins in Dallas on Wednesday, will feature President Trump as the headliner for both of the event’s two nights. The event is being called a “Trumpapalooza” – a phrase that Republican National Committee chairman Joe Gruters, who has overused it for years, no longer uses.
Every four years political parties hold large, televised conventions for presidential nomination. However, this year is not a presidential election. Midterm conventions are a non-issue (at least since Democrats discontinued them in 1982 after only a brief run).
One might ask, in order to hold onto their narrow majority, why Republicans would focus so much on a President whose approval ratings are low.
Trump outlined the argument at a recent rally.
Trump said in third-person, “The issue we face is that they claim that Trump performs well when he appears on the ballot.” When he is not on the ballot his supporters don’t show up and don’t cast their votes.
Trump told the crowd at a rally in South Carolina for Republican Senator Darline Graham, “I want you to pretend that I’m on the ballot.” Come and vote. “It’s important to vote.”
This isn’t a simple plea to Republican voters who are in the runoff in a red-state. Trump’s advisors and Trump are working to get back the voters that helped him win the presidency in 2024. These voters don’t show up when there’s no presidential election at the top.
It’s an approach that is different from the majority of presidents who are dealing with political challenges in midterm years. In 2022, at one of his few rallies in the year, then-President Biden joked with a Democratic Senator about what to do.
Biden made a joke that he has used over and over again: “I told him I would come to campaign against him or for him. Whichever will be the most helpful.”
The polls indicate that Democratic voters have a much higher level of excitement about the midterm elections than Republicans.
Trump is not a man who follows the rules of normal politics. Two midterm ads were aired by Securing American Greatness – a Trump-aligned dark money political group. The ads did not mention the Republicans who were running for House or Senate. The president was filmed in slow motion for both ads.
The convention organizers have said that the Dallas gathering will be centered on issues affecting the midterm elections, such as lowering costs of living, raising incomes and securing our border.
Other Republican leaders will also be featured, in addition to Trump, Vice President Vance and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. Trump had endorsed Paxton for the Senate over an incumbent Republican, but now he faces a cash-deficit campaign.
According to an NPR study, which used race ratings from Cook Political Report as a basis, less than half the Republican candidates running in House or Senate elections are listed on the convention speaker list.
When reporters asked about his plans for the convention on Capitol Hill, Republican Rep. Zach Nunn from Iowa replied, “We will be working very hard in our district.”
Reelection is a close race.
Vance doesn’t seem to be letting anyone know if there is a concern about the White House regarding attendance.
Vance, speaking at the White House’s weekly press conference last week, said: “The President and I could go to national television and present [the] case.” We don’t have to have a Congressman who is in a close race there all the time.
It’s important to know who is going to be there. On Wednesday, the NFL’s season opener will be a Super Bowl rematch between this year’s Seattle Seahawks vs. New England Patriots. On Thursday, there’s also a football match in primetime.
The Democrats won’t be planning their own convention, and counterprogramming is likely to be limited.
John Anzalone is a Democratic consultant and pollster. He said that most elected officials do not want to attend [presidential nomination conventions]. The expiration date for conventions was a very long time ago.
He argues that the current political climate is “disastrous for Republicans seeking office, and the Republican Convention will not change this narrative in any way for the midterm election.”
Alex Triantafilou, chairman of the Ohio Republican Party said that he found it easy to find people who were interested in coming. The state party received far fewer ticket allocations than it would for a presidential convention.
Triantafilou said, “We were told from the beginning that this was an excellent opportunity to bring together the troops as well as raise money for our party. These two things are definitely what happened.”
He stated that the Ohio state party uses the convention as a way to excite the grassroots Republicans.
Triantafilou said, “He’s very popular in this area.” We do speak a great deal about turning out low-propensity voters. The president is the only one who can turn out Ohio’s low-propensity voters. “We welcome it.”
It remains to be seen if this new midterms strategy will work, but many Republicans believe it is the only way the GOP has to minimize its losses during what’s expected to be an extremely difficult year for Republicans.
Terry Schilling is the president of American Principles Project. A Republican organization. We’ve run away from President Trump in past midterms, and almost always lost.
Schilling says that he will attend the Republican convention, and he also expects to see many of his Republican friends. He wants them to be energized, ready and able to deliver a clear message in the run-up towards midterm elections.