Trump has lost Congress. But has he really lost control of America's future?

The 2026 US midterm elections have delivered a dramatic political reversal. Democrats have seized control of both chambers of Congress, raising fundamental questions about Donald Trump's remaining presidency, his economic legacy and America's place in the world. But is Trump politically wounded — or is his presidency more resilient than his critics believe? In this provocative episode of The Focus, Dr John Bruni welcomes back Associate Professor Salvatore Babones, sociologist at the University of Sydney and one of Australia's most outspoken commentators on American politics. Babones offers a strikingly confident assessment of Trump's America, challenging conventional interpretations of the US economy, the war against Iran and Washington's relationship with Vladimir Putin.

The conversation explores some of the most consequential questions confronting American power:

The midterm earthquake: What does losing Congress mean for Trump's domestic agenda and international authority?

The Trump economy: Are ordinary Americans genuinely better off? What do poverty, wages and Wall Street reveal about American prosperity?

The Iran war: Can the United States sustain a prolonged military campaign, or are munitions expenditure and industrial limitations creating vulnerabilities?

Trump and Putin: Is Washington practising pragmatic nuclear diplomacy, or risking concessions to Russian coercion?

Ukraine and Starshield: How should America balance escalation management with support for Ukrainian sovereignty?

America's global position: Can Washington sustain its Middle Eastern commitments while deterring China and reassuring NATO allies?

Throughout the discussion, Bruni tests the relationship between America's immense national power and the strategic costs of exercising that power.

Is Trump's America stronger than his opponents recognise? Or do the economic, political and military consequences of his policies reveal deeper vulnerabilities?

A wide-ranging conversation about political power, economic resilience, war, deterrence and the future of American leadership.

About our guest

Associate Professor Salvatore Babones is a quantitative comparative sociologist at the University of Sydney and Executive Director of the Indian Century Roundtable. His research and commentary encompass democracy, political institutions, economic development, populism and international affairs.

Salvatore Babones — three most recent books

Dharma Democracy: How India Built the Third World's First Democracy (2025) — Connor Court Publishing.

Australia's Universities: Can They Reform? (2021) — Ocean Reeve Publishing.

The New Authoritarianism: Trump, Populism, and the Tyranny of Experts (2018) — Polity.
Explore Salvatore's work: https://www.salvatorebabones.com/

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Produced by SAGE International Australia.

Website: https://sageinternational.com.au/

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Do you believe Trump's midterm defeat fundamentally changes America's global position? Or are US economic and military strengths sufficient to withstand the political setback?

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