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Michael Goodwin: How Trump reacts to this shellacking will determine his legacy
The article argues that Republicans’ heavy losses in the 2026 midterms were a forceful rejection of Donald Trump, his policies and his leadership. It says the result was foreseeable given poor approval ratings and public anger over prices, and that Trump’s response could shape how his presidency is remembered.
The article cites an AP poll in which 65% of adults blamed Trump and his policies for high prices, while 17% approved of his handling of living costs. It compares the result with Barack Obama’s 2010 midterm losses, which the author says he failed to learn from, and notes that Trump’s 2018 losses in the House came alongside Republican gains in the Senate. The author urges Trump to accept responsibility and moderate his approach, pointing to tariffs, efforts to put his name on public assets and family self-dealing as areas of concern.
In short
- The midterms delivered a major rejection of Trump and the Republicans.
- High prices and low approval ratings had signalled trouble.
- The author says Trump’s response may define his legacy.
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The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
The losses, alongside low approval of Trump’s handling of living costs and widespread attribution of high prices to his policies, can reasonably be read as a public rejection of his leadership and priorities. A thoughtful advocate of this view would say that accepting responsibility and moderating policies such as tariffs could restore trust, while restraint over public honours and family interests would help protect confidence in government and shape a more favourable legacy.
The case against
Midterm losses do not necessarily amount to a clear verdict on a president: voters may be reacting to local candidates, broader economic conditions or the usual electoral swing against the party in power. A thoughtful defender of Trump could argue that abandoning his agenda in response risks disregarding the voters who elected him, and that his legacy should be judged by the results of his policies over time rather than by one election or approval ratings on prices.
Explained simply
In US midterm elections, voters choose members of Congress and, in many states, governors, halfway through a president’s term. The results can shift control of Congress, affecting which laws can pass and how closely the president is scrutinised.
Donald Trump is a Republican president, and Republicans are his party. His record on prices, trade tariffs and other policies is part of the debate over his leadership; tariffs are taxes on some imported goods. Barack Obama, a Democrat who was president before Trump, also faced substantial losses for his party in the 2010 midterms.