Bad news for Trump ahead of the midterms: it’s still the economy, stupid
Voters’ opposition to the state of Trump’s economy is well established – despite his desperate attempts to deflect Our reporters answer your questions about the US economy and the midterm elections It’s indisputable that the political polarization of our time has reduced (and confused) the influence of economic conditions on US elections. In September of 2024, in the waning weeks of the Joe Biden presidency, 65% of Republicans believed the US economy was getting worse.
About six months later, as Donald Trump launched a trade war on the rest of the world with his “liberation day” tariffs, the share of Republican pessimists had dropped to 33%.
Read in depth: Business
US diesel costs squeeze freight firms as New Zealand petrol tops NZ$4 a litre
Federal Reserve district accounts describe pressure on US trucking margins and grocery transport costs, while RNZ reports a sharp rise in New Zealand pump prices.
Tesla Roadster flight demonstration sparks memes and regulatory questions
Tesla showed an unoccupied Roadster leaving the ground at a Texas test facility. Online jokes followed, while aviation experts raised questions about operating such a vehicle.
Sources and context
The GuardianSource headline and summary supplied via NewsData.io. First collected by NewsJaws on 2026-10-16. This is an automated news brief, not original NewsJaws reporting. Dates reflect the source publication. Feed delays may apply.