The State of It: USA

Is a blue tsunami coming for Trump?

September 30, 2026·25 min
Episode Description from the Publisher

A blue wave is building across America, as Republicans brace for a brutal midterm reckoning. Red strongholds like Kansas, Oklahoma and Florida are starting to look vulnerable. Does President Trump even care?The mystery surrounding RAF Fairford is only getting stranger, raising more questions than answers and exposing the fragility of the US-UK relationship. Is Marco Rubio right that a foreign actor is involved? And could it ultimately be good news for Andy Burnham?And as the world wakes up to the potential dangers of AI, Trump is embracing America’s tech giants. Is he sleepwalking into a crisis?Katy Balls, Washington editor and columnist at The Times and The Sunday TimesGerard Baker, columnist at The Times and editor at large at The Wall Street JournalProducers: Euan Dawtrey, Harry KitsonExecutive producer: Molly GuinnessPicture: Getty ImagesAudio: Reuters00:00 - Is a Republican Midterm Disaster Looming?00:33 - The "Blue Tsunami" & Key Battlegrounds (Kansas, Florida, Texas)06:33 - Is Trump Becoming an Electoral Liability?09:18 - Fearing Subpoenas: The Final Years of a Trump Presidency11:46 - UK Foreign Security Incident & US Reaction17:06 - Trump's "Superintelligence" AI Summit & Silicon Valley Backlash21:01 - AI Anxiety, Tech Billionaires, and Backlash from VotersThis podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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