Nov 3, 2026 · 55 min
Zakaria links midterm politics to America’s global credibility
Fareed Zakaria on the Midterms and What Comes Next
The conversation connects electoral realignment at home with the foreign-policy choices that could determine whether the United States regains international trust.
- 1Independent voters and shifting electoral maps could make traditionally safe Republican states competitive.
- 2The Iran war has intensified anti-Trump sentiment by making foreign policy more electorally consequential.
- 3Zakaria argues that supporting Ukraine and rebuilding alliances are essential to restoring American influence.
Don't miss
Zakaria describes Ukraine as the central test of whether the post-1945 principle against conquering territory by force still holds.
The brief
Scott Galloway and Fareed Zakaria open with a question larger than one election: whether the midterms mark a turning point for Donald Trump and the global right-wing populist wave.
They argue that independent voters, changing electoral maps, and the unpopularity of the Iran war are reshaping the political stakes beyond the usual partisan map.
The discussion turns outward, asking whether American power comes from military force alone or from alliances, values, trade, and international legitimacy.
Zakaria identifies Ukraine as the clearest test of the post-1945 order, while urging concrete action to rebuild trust with Canada, India, and other partners.
The conversation closes on Elon Musk’s political judgment and Zakaria’s heartbreak at watching America fall short of its promise as a welcoming, principled nation.
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