Economist Podcasts: "An act of self-harm: Trump’s latest war might be his undoing"

Date: March 19, 2026
Host: Jason Palmer
Key Guests: Robert Guest (Deputy Editor, The Economist), Piotr Zelewski (Turkey Correspondent), Rebecca Jackson (Southern Correspondent)

Episode Overview

This episode of The Intelligence explores how President Donald Trump’s military engagement with Iran is backfiring politically, threatening not only his credibility and power within the Republican Party but also giving momentum to the opposition ahead of the midterms. The show also examines Turkey’s domestic political crackdown against the opposition mayor of Istanbul, set against efforts to distract with foreign affairs, and ends with an engaging look at America’s growing distaste for delivery robots.

The Political Fallout from Trump’s War with Iran

The Situation on the Ground

• [01:07-02:58] Jason Palmer sets the scene: In the aftermath of Israel’s attack on South Pars and Iran’s retaliation on a major Qatari gas facility, the regional conflict is escalating, threatening global energy markets. President Trump’s responses and assertions of “total victory” are increasingly out of touch with openly visible outcomes like soaring oil prices.

Notable Quote:

“Donald Trump's recent assertion that the war was very complete pretty much makes even less sense. He threatened to massively blow up that South Pars gas field if Iran struck Qatar again. Maybe so. What also seems probable is that this war will massively blow up his presidency.”
— Jason Palmer ([02:13])

Robert Guest on Trump's "Self-Inflicted Wound"

Undermining Trump’s “Three Superpowers”

[03:32-08:43] Jason Palmer and Robert Guest outline how the war is eroding what made Trump electorally powerful:

• Reality-Bending Narrative:
  Trump’s habitual overstatements meet visible reality; Americans see higher prices at gas stations everywhere.

  • Quote:

    “Voters can see with their own eyes that what he is saying is not true… the price of oil is not one of those bits of news you can censor… So they can see how his foreign policy, his supposed great victory, is making their lives worse.”
    — Robert Guest ([04:10])

• Use of Leverage & Allies:
  Trump’s pattern of threatening allies backfires as he seeks their help in the conflict, after years of disparagement and erratic threats against NATO.

  • Quote:

    “Trump's allies now know that they can expect bad treatment from him... Amazingly, they're not that willing to help him out of a mess that he created without consulting them.”
    — Robert Guest ([05:14])

• Party Dominion:
  The fallout is alarming Republican officeholders who now face bleak midterm prospects. Trump’s broken promises (no foreign wars, lower prices) are fresh in voters’ memories.

  • Quote:

    “He started a war of choice…he's raising prices now in a very obvious way. Everyone can understand the idea that if you start a war ... the price goes up. So that is making him less popular.”
    — Robert Guest ([07:10])

  • Political consequences:
    Betting markets are shifting: Democrats now have a real chance of taking back the Senate, which would put tight congressional constraints on Trump’s agenda.

Why Doesn’t Trump Pull Back?

[08:43-10:13]

• Jason asks why Trump, infamous for quick pivots, doesn’t simply declare victory and exit. Guest suggests that while Trump hates admitting defeat, the Iranian strategy ensures continued economic pain and instability regardless of when Trump stops the war, prolonging the negative aftermath.

Lashing Out—What’s Next If Trump’s Cornered?

[10:13-11:32]

• If further weakened after the midterms, Trump could retaliate domestically with partisan prosecutions and executive orders, or pull back on US global commitments in disruptive ways, risking opportunistic moves by Russia or China amid perceived American weakness.
  • Quote:

    “Supposing he does lose the midterms badly... he could do immense damage at home ... or abandon NATO, cut loose Ukraine, bully Latin America. There’s lots of things he could do that would be destabilizing and damaging for the world.”
    — Robert Guest ([10:23])

Global Perceptions of Trump’s Waning Power

• [11:32-12:22]
  Both adversaries and allies are now treating Trump as weakened, which could embolden rivals and complicate diplomatic efforts, even as he remains commander-in-chief.

  • Quote:

    “They [allies and adversaries] are aware that there's an electoral timetable in the United States, and certainly that's something the Iranians are very conscious of and trying to use as a lever to make him stop bombing them. But he's still in charge…”
    — Robert Guest ([11:40])

Turkey: Political Crackdown and Foreign Distractions

[14:15-21:47]
Turkey correspondent Piotr Zelewski reports on the trial of deposed Istanbul mayor Ekrem Imamoglu—a political drama with global and domestic implications.

Key Discussion Points

• The Trial:
  Largest in years, charged with corruption and terrorism (widely believed to be state-motivated), risking Imamoglu’s ability to run in 2028.

  • Quote:

    "He was arrested exactly a year ago... on corruption and terrorism charges, which he and his party deny... faces up to 2,532 years in prison."
    — Piotr Zelewski ([15:07])

• Opposition Strategy:
  The CHP’s (opposition party) reluctance to select a new candidate immediately is strategic—to avoid giving the government a new target for suppression.

• Erdogan’s Tactics:
  Leverages foreign policy—especially Turkey’s crucial role amid Iran conflict—to distract voters from domestic problems and to maintain support (or at least tolerance) from the West.

  • Quote:

    “That seems to be a sign of a relatively new political strategy... Erdogan is turning to foreign policy to obscure problems at home... And in terms of relations with Europe and the US, that strategy seems to be working.”
    — Piotr Zelewski ([17:23])

• Turkey’s Regional Role:
  As a "gatekeeper" in the Black Sea, mediator in Syria, and linchpin for migration policy with the EU, Turkey’s foreign importance shields Erdogan domestically.

• Impact on Democracy:
  Turkey’s increased foreign leverage effectively gives Erdogan cover to intensify his crackdown on the opposition.

Americans Versus Delivery Robots

[22:14-26:35]
Southern correspondent Rebecca Jackson dives into the curious case of delivery bots—and the surprisingly hostile American public.

Key Insights

• Efficiency vs. Backlash:
  Despite clear efficiency gains, Americans seem to loathe delivery bots, frequently vandalizing them.

• Notable Moments:

  • Social media is awash with viral clips of robots being assaulted, from being gyrated upon to attempts at tossing them off bridges.
  • University and community resistance: petitions and student editorials ask for outright bans.

• Cultural Context:
  The US seems particularly prone to “robot violence.” Hitchbot (2014), successful in Europe, was famously destroyed shortly after entering America; subsequent security robots fared no better.

  • Quote:

    “Two weeks into its American trek, [Hitchbot] was found stripped, dismembered and decapitated in Philadelphia.”
    — Rebecca Jackson ([25:17])

• Why the Hatred?
  A Pew survey finds Americans disproportionately anxious about AI and automation—perhaps the antagonism toward delivery bots is a proxy for these fears.

  • Quote:

    “Perhaps these acts of aggression are really an outward expression of… anxiety about technology taking over the world. Or maybe it’s just about nabbing some fruit Pad Thai.”
    — Rebecca Jackson ([26:20])

Memorable Quotes & Timestamps

• "Voters can see with their own eyes that what he is saying is not true... So they can see how his foreign policy, his supposed great victory, is making their lives worse." — Robert Guest ([04:10])
• "He started a war of choice…he's raising prices now in a very obvious way... That is making him less popular." — Robert Guest ([07:10])
• "He was arrested exactly a year ago... on corruption and terrorism charges, which he and his party deny... faces up to 2,532 years in prison." — Piotr Zelewski ([15:07])
• "Two weeks into its American trek, [Hitchbot] was found stripped, dismembered and decapitated in Philadelphia." — Rebecca Jackson ([25:17])

Important Segment Timestamps

• [01:07-12:22] US-Iran War and Trump’s Political Woes (Jason Palmer & Robert Guest)
• [14:15-21:47] Turkey’s Show Trial and Rising Regional Role (Piotr Zelewski)
• [22:14-26:35] America’s Hostility to Delivery Robots (Rebecca Jackson)

This episode delivers a sharp, well-sourced critique of Trump’s Iran gambit and its broadening consequences, a sobering look at Turkey’s deepening authoritarianism, and a quirky but telling exploration of public sentiment on automation. The tone is incisive but accessible, with the Economist’s hallmark blend of analysis and insight for the globally engaged listener.