Original Broadcaster Captioning (Enhanced). Treat it as a searchable index of what was broadcast, not a quotation record.
00:00:00Will voters strengthen his hand or or change the balance of power? So
00:00:03So I'm asking you to pretend that that I'm on the ballot. Our team
00:00:06team explore what's shaping the vote vote and what it means for America
00:00:09America and the rest of the world.
00:00:11world. You're live with BBC News.
00:00:14News. The US midterm Elections 2026
00:00:182026 on BBC News. Now on BBC News.
00:00:25News. Comprehensive coverage. Of
00:00:27Of the day's important national and
00:00:30and international news stories. Newsnight.
00:00:40Newsnight. Just hours until hundreds hundreds of millions of Americans
00:00:43Americans go to the polls is President President Trump's Republican Party
00:00:46Party about to lose its grip on Congress?
00:00:49Congress? And how will the US leader leader react whatever happens? Plus,
00:00:53Plus, in an exclusive interview with with Hunter Biden, son of Donald
00:00:56Donald Trump's predecessor, he responds responds to the President's labelling
00:00:59labelling of a Muslim Democratic Democratic Senate candidate as a
00:01:03a jihadist. I hope we are done with
00:01:06with this BS in American politics. politics. Call it what it
00:01:14Call it what it is. He is an
00:01:15Islamophobic, racist pig.
00:01:32Hello. Welcome to Monday's News
00:01:33Night Live from studio 54 in Broadcasting Broadcasting House in London. We're
00:01:37We're bringing you insight and interviews interviews on the top stories of
00:01:41of the day. Good evening. The result
00:01:44result of the US midterms will be be crucial for America and the rest
00:01:47rest of us, not least because of of conflicts in Ukraine and Iran
00:01:51Iran and therefore the global economy economy up for grabs in the states,
00:01:54states, control of the House of Representatives Representatives and the Senate, which
00:01:57which are currently controlled by by the Republicans. If President
00:02:00President Trump's party loses either either or both, which polling suggests
00:02:04suggests may happen, what will he he do? How will he react? On Newsnight
00:02:08Newsnight tonight, we'll hear from from senior representatives from from both parties. A few hours ago,
00:02:11ago, the President made a speech speech at his special project at
00:02:15at the Reflecting Pool in Washington,
00:02:16Washington, DC. For some reason,
00:02:19reason, the sitting president doesn't doesn't win the midterms. But we
00:02:22we gave this a very strong shot of
00:02:26of the city. I've been speaking to
00:02:29to Hunter Biden. He's the son of of former Democrat President Joe
00:02:32Joe Biden. As you know, he describes describes Donald Trump as a racist
00:02:36racist pig and also gives his reaction reaction to a Democratic congresswoman
00:02:39congresswoman in Michigan switching switching her support to the Republican
00:02:42Republican candidate. But first, first, I asked him for his expectations
00:02:46expectations about the results of of tomorrow's vote. I think the truth
00:02:48truth of the matter is, is that this this is a referendum on Donald Trump
00:02:52Trump and that the Democratic Party Party has an enormous amount of work
00:02:56work to do to gain the trust of the
00:02:58the American people. And it's going going to be very difficult. Donald
00:03:02Donald Trump is going to be an obstructionist obstructionist in every way. I don't
00:03:05don't think that he's going. I think think he's going to try to go around
00:03:09around Congress and I and I also
00:03:10also know this is that people are
00:03:13are going to want to have accountability accountability and accountability
00:03:15accountability is going to be very
00:03:19very difficult to get. Accountability. Accountability. In what sense? What
00:03:22What do you mean specifically for? for? Well, I think that that I don't
00:03:25don't think I know for the absolute absolute and total corruption that's
00:03:29that's occurring in, in this administration, administration, billions of dollars
00:03:31dollars in real estate deals with
00:03:33with foreign governments and Donald Donald Trump personally and how he
00:03:37he has benefited in all the ancillary
00:03:40ancillary associated people with with this administration that in
00:03:43in and of itself is just I mean, mean, you can believe every single
00:03:47single thing they ever said about about me and it wouldn't even begin
00:03:50begin to compare. It wouldn't even even begin to compare to what they're
00:03:53they're doing. Well, they. They would would obviously push right back on
00:03:56on that and say, these are all legitimate legitimate business deals. They would
00:04:00would absolutely say it's not corruption.
00:04:03corruption. Let me ask then how much
00:04:07much responsibility you, your father, father, the your party feel about
00:04:11about Donald Trump and the Republicans
00:04:13Republicans being in power for the
00:04:16the last two years? Look, here's
00:04:18here's what I know is this I know
00:04:21know that in 2020, my dad beat Donald Donald Trump by 8 million votes.
00:04:24votes. And I know in 2024 that he he was not on the ticket, regardless
00:04:28regardless of what anybody thinks thinks about whether or not he would would have won or not. I think that
00:04:32that Donald Trump and his brand of
00:04:37of politics is a has become a this
00:04:41this almost what we believe in our our minds is somehow some unstoppable
00:04:45unstoppable force. I believe it's it's stoppable. I believe that people
00:04:48people have been fed an enormous enormous amount of disinformation
00:04:51disinformation through their social social media and through their media media sources. And I think that the
00:04:55the reason for that is, is that it's it's controlled by a very few number
00:04:58number of people and names that we
00:05:00we can name of people that have a
00:05:03a absolute and complete vested interest interest in the presidency of Donald
00:05:07Donald Trump. I think that each one one of the people that stood behind
00:05:10behind Donald Trump on Inauguration Inauguration Day, from the major
00:05:12major tech companies that have an
00:05:14an enormous amount of control over
00:05:17over the information that we receive
00:05:19receive as voters here in the United
00:05:22United States have increased their
00:05:25their wealth by exponentially since since Donald Trump. And that was
00:05:28was their that was their intent. intent. And they got what they wanted.
00:05:31wanted. And now I think that they they need to be held accountable accountable for it. In Michigan,
00:05:34Michigan, we've seen one senior Democrat, Democrat, Haley Stevens, announced
00:05:37announced she's supporting the Republican Republican candidate for senator
00:05:41senator instead of the Democrats Democrats candidate. Candidate Abdul
00:05:43Abdul El-Sayed. I mean, is that not not the Democrats shooting themselves
00:05:47themselves in the foot? Oh, no. I
00:05:49I think that that's Haley Stevens Stevens shooting herself in the foot.
00:05:53foot. I think that Haley Stevens
00:05:54Stevens made a purely selfish and
00:05:57and personal choice because that
00:06:00that she has a had a is being vindictive vindictive and just does not like
00:06:04like Abdul El-Sayed on a personal personal level. I think that she
00:06:07she was I think it was a really incredibly incredibly immature decision on her
00:06:10her part. And I think that she's she's realised that today. And I I don't think that any single voter
00:06:14voter in the state of Michigan gives gives a goddamn what Haley Stevens
00:06:18Stevens thinks. Two days before the
00:06:20the election, after she has said
00:06:23said that that Mike Rogers is an an existential threat because of
00:06:27of his support for Donald Trump. Trump. He's the Republican candidate.
00:06:30candidate. Yeah. And so I look, nobody
00:06:34nobody cares what Haley Stevens thinks
00:06:36thinks at this point. She's she is is she's just embarrassed herself.
00:06:39herself. And I think that it is actually actually unified Democrats in making
00:06:43making certain that Abdul El-Sayed El-Sayed Doctor Abdul El-Sayed, who
00:06:46who is a Rhodes Scholar and a. And
00:06:49And Michigan born incredibly articulate
00:06:56articulate and inspirational candidate candidate will do. And I don't agree
00:06:59agree with everything that he that
00:07:02that that he that he has to say. say. But I do agree with this is
00:07:06is the thing that he has talked about
00:07:07about is all of the issues that I
00:07:10I just that I just talked about talked
00:07:13talked about real issues that voters voters really care about. They care
00:07:16care about the idea that they could could go bankrupt because their kid
00:07:18kid gets in an accident and, and and they don't have health care.
00:07:22care. Well, I'm guessing that you you talked about his qualifications qualifications and his education
00:07:26education there, in part because because Donald Trump has called Abdul
00:07:30Abdul El-Sayed a, quote, radical radical extremist terrorist sympathiser,
00:07:34sympathiser, a jihadist lunatic and
00:07:35and suggested that he, if he won
00:07:38won Michigan, he would have to go go through a metal detector before
00:07:41before he's allowed to go into the
00:07:43the Senate. What do you think of
00:07:46of that kind of language? What I I think is, is it's another example
00:07:49example that Donald Trump is a complete complete and utter racist pig. That's
00:07:52That's what I think. I think that
00:07:54that he's an islamophobe. I think think that he is a racist through
00:07:58through and through. And I don't
00:08:00don't need to say that as if I is
00:08:03is conjecture on my part. There you you have the evidence of it. I mean,
00:08:07mean, because his name is Abdul Mohammed Mohammed El-Sayed. He therefore needs
00:08:10needs to go through a metal detector.
00:08:13detector. What why? What is it? What
00:08:15What are the what are the things
00:08:19things that would require that of of someone that is running for the
00:08:22the United States Senate that was was born in Michigan? Other than
00:08:26than the fact that he's Muslim? And
00:08:28And I think that that is I hope we
00:08:31we are done with this BS in American
00:08:34American politics. Let's call it
00:08:35it what it is. He is an Islamophobic,
00:08:38Islamophobic, racist pig. You've You've accused some Republicans,
00:08:41Republicans, including Ohio's Senate
00:08:43Senate candidate Vivek Ramaswamy
00:08:46Ramaswamy of choosing paedophiles paedophiles over people. And you
00:08:48you said that Maga stand for protecting protecting paedophiles over people
00:08:52people every time. That is obviously
00:08:55obviously a really serious allegation allegation which Republican candidates
00:08:59candidates would totally reject irrespective
00:09:02irrespective of whether the Republicans Republicans retain control of the
00:09:05the House and the Senate or lose lose it. What is the thinking in
00:09:08in senior Democrat circles about
00:09:11about whether Donald Trump, soon soon after the midterms will resume
00:09:14resume military action against Iran?
00:09:17Iran? Well, I mean, he said it already, already, hasn't he? I mean, I know
00:09:20know that there's now talk and maybe
00:09:23maybe legitimate or not legitimate legitimate and I have heard it from
00:09:26from more people than just Tucker Tucker Carlson that they're considering
00:09:29considering deploying a tactical tactical nuclear weapon in Iran.
00:09:32Iran. And whether it's a tactical tactical nuclear weapon is one of
00:09:35of the Moab weapons, which is the the largest ordnance that the United United States government, other than
00:09:39than a nuclear weapon has, which which Donald Trump's words, is a
00:09:43a mini nuclear bomb. Is he's flat
00:09:46flat out said after Tuesday, all
00:09:48all bets are off. And I think that that he's just crazy enough to do
00:09:51do it. And I don't know who's there there to stop him. We should all
00:09:55all be very, very, very, very nervous nervous about what's going to happen
00:09:58happen next. I do want to ask you
00:10:00you if I may, just before you go
00:10:03go how is your father? Thank you
00:10:05you for asking. He's OK. He came came out and he stayed with me for
00:10:09for the past week and to visit. And
00:10:13And it's hard and there's nothing nothing new. I mean, he's prostate.
00:10:17prostate. His PSA is zero. And as
00:10:19as it relates to his prostate, the the treatment was successful. But
00:10:23But he has stage four metastatic metastatic bone cancer that is only
00:10:25only treatable by hormone therapy.
00:10:29therapy. And it's hard. It's really really hard. It's painful. And he
00:10:33he doesn't complain. I know I complain complain a lot more about it than than he does, but I don't know anybody
00:10:37anybody that doesn't have somebody somebody in their family that's either
00:10:39either battled or is battling cancer
00:10:41cancer right now. And so I'm sure
00:10:44sure I feel about it the same exact exact way that millions and millions
00:10:47millions of people feel about the
00:10:50the people in their family and the the ones that they love that are
00:10:53are that are battling a terminal terminal illness. But he's OK. Thank
00:10:57Thank you for asking. President Trump
00:11:01Trump has previously denied being being racist, saying on more than
00:11:04than one occasion I'm the least racist
00:11:06racist person you have ever met and and has previously referred to Muslims
00:11:10Muslims as great people. The White White House has previously said that
00:11:12that President Trump acts in an ethically ethically sound manner, that there
00:11:15there are no conflicts of interest, interest, that his assets are in in a trust managed by his children
00:11:19children and that he has no involvement
00:11:21involvement in family business deals.
00:11:25deals. And along a wide ranging interview interview with Hunter Biden is on
00:11:29on YouTube, BBC politics YouTube YouTube channel. Let's get some reaction
00:11:31reaction to some of that with Republican Republican Congressman Michael Baumgartner,
00:11:34Baumgartner, who is in Spokane, Washington
00:11:37Washington State and Democrat strategist strategist Ameshia Cross, who is
00:11:40is in Washington, DC and Nick is
00:11:43is here as well. Michael Baumgartner,
00:11:47Baumgartner, Hunter Biden describing describing Donald Trump as racist. racist. I'm imagining you will want
00:11:50want to pick up on that. Is that
00:11:54that fair? You mean Hunter Biden
00:12:00Biden noted cocaine addict and Ukrainian
00:12:03Ukrainian energy expert? I think think you've made the entire world
00:12:06world dumber for having him on your
00:12:08your programme. Sorry, I was asking asking about President Trump being
00:12:12being described as racist. Is that
00:12:15that fair? I mean, anything that
00:12:20that Hunter Biden says should be be discounted. You know, he was the
00:12:24the only thing that's worse than than his political takes is his art.
00:12:26art. So I'd be happy to answer more more questions on President Trump, Trump, but nothing coming from Hunter
00:12:30Hunter Biden. The guy is a disgrace disgrace to America. Sure. OK. Well, Well, let me ask you about Donald
00:12:34Donald Trump's words then. Radical
00:12:37Radical extremist, jihadist, lunatic, lunatic, terrorist sympathiser. I
00:12:39I mean, can you think of any reason reason why El-Sayed would need to
00:12:42to go through a metal detector if
00:12:44if he does win the Senate seat for
00:12:46for Michigan? Yeah, it's very clear
00:12:51clear that El-Sayed has a close relationship relationship with the muslim brotherhood,
00:12:54brotherhood, which has a long-term
00:12:57long-term Islamist project in the
00:12:58the US and so I think his election election would make America in the
00:13:02the world less secure. And there's there's a lot of concerns about his
00:13:05his continued relationships with with a series of associated Islamist Islamist terrorist groups. Right.
00:13:09Right. I thought he just supported supported democracy in Egypt, which
00:13:13which at one point was governed by
00:13:15by the muslim brotherhood. That's
00:13:19That's the association. No, the organisations
00:13:22organisations that he's been associated associated with in the US on college
00:13:24college campuses have a long history history of relationship with the
00:13:28the muslim brotherhood. It's a long-term long-term Islamist project and it's
00:13:31it's serious. I mean, he should not not be a US Senate candidate. And
00:13:34And God forbid he actually sent the the US Senate. Well, that'll be up
00:13:37up to the voters to that will be be up to the voters to decide. Of
00:13:40Of course. Ameshia Cross. Let me
00:13:42me ask you about Haley Stevens endorsement endorsement of the Republican candidate.
00:13:46candidate. I mean, Hunter Biden was was pretty dismissive of what she's
00:13:50she's done, but there are plenty plenty in your party who are enraged
00:13:53enraged by what she's done in the
00:13:54the last 24 hours. Aren't they? Well,
00:13:57Well, the timing was quizzical in in and of itself. And I think that
00:14:00that people are upset for good reason. reason. This is a woman who, after
00:14:04after she lost the primary months months ago, actually came out and
00:14:07and endorsed Abdul El-Sayed. This This is a woman who had faithfully
00:14:11faithfully said that she was going going to campaign alongside him up
00:14:13up to and including less than 48
00:14:1648 hours before she made the announcement announcement that she was not only
00:14:20only going to take her endorsement endorsement back, but that she was was also going to endorse his opponent.
00:14:23opponent. I think that this is self-serving. self-serving. I think that she had
00:14:26had some issue that she does not not want to reveal as it relates
00:14:29relates to actually why she made made the decision that she did, but
00:14:32but she is going to is it going to to damage? Is it going to damage
00:14:35damage you. Know, I think that the the people in Michigan are going
00:14:39going to make the decision that they they want to make. El-Sayed has traipsed
00:14:42traipsed across the entire state. state. He has made a lot of ground.
00:14:46ground. He has, you know, partnered partnered with the organisations organisations locally that make a a difference. He's kept affordability.
00:14:49affordability. He's kept housing housing costs, he's kept health care
00:14:53care at the front and centre for for Michiganders. And I think that that that's the thing that people
00:14:56people are going to take to the polls polls with them. Not a losing candidate candidate who at the final hour decided
00:15:00decided that she was going to make make a decision that I think is against
00:15:03against the party, against democracy democracy and against the values
00:15:06values of Michiganders. I would also also argue, and I'm going to take take it back to the first question,
00:15:10question, being the black person person on this panel, yes, Trump Trump is a racist. Yes, Trump is
00:15:14is Islamophobic. And yes, Trump is is xenophobic. He has proven time
00:15:17time and time again that he is not not a fan of people of colour in
00:15:20in this country. He banned Muslim Muslim countries. We remember what
00:15:23what that Muslim ban looked like. like. He called areas that black
00:15:25black people come from sheethole sheethole countries. He has tried
00:15:29tried to diminish the Civil Rights Rights Act to reduce the fight and
00:15:32and the struggle that black people people went through across this country
00:15:35country to gain rights enshrined enshrined in our Constitution. And
00:15:38And he has done everything he can can to make life harder for black
00:15:40black people. So yes, I definitely definitely think that that president
00:15:43president is a racist. Michael Baumgartner,
00:15:45Baumgartner, can I ask you about
00:15:49about affordability because particularly particularly since Donald Trump launched
00:15:52launched the war against Iran alongside alongside Israel, despite promising
00:15:55promising no more foreign wars, inflation inflation has gone up. The cost for
00:15:59for American consumers of all sorts sorts of products, including diesel,
00:16:01diesel, which is twice what it was was in February, has gone up. He
00:16:05He has broken those promises to voters,
00:16:08voters, hasn't he? Well, inflation
00:16:13inflation is much lower under Republican Republican leadership than it was
00:16:16was under Joe Biden in the Democrats Democrats and certainly but. It's It's gone up under President. Trump
00:16:20Trump have taken a number of measures, measures, including no taxes on tips,
00:16:23tips, no taxes on overtime. Inflation
00:16:27Inflation compared under the Democrat Democrat leadership is actually lower.
00:16:29lower. Gas prices are slightly higher. higher. But that's because folks
00:16:33folks like the Democrats haven't haven't allowed enough refined fuel
00:16:35fuel projects into the US so. So So nothing nothing to. Do with the
00:16:38the war in Iraq. On track. And certainly certainly prices are going to come come down. We have very strong economy
00:16:42economy here in the US because of of Republican leadership. No, there's there's no doubt that the war in
00:16:45in Iran has had an impact on gas gas prices. But of course, the trade
00:16:48trade off is a group of jihadists jihadists having a nuclear weapon
00:16:51weapon which would send costs skyrocketed skyrocketed and kill potentially potentially millions of people. So,
00:16:55So, you know, President Trump is is doing what needs to be done to to keep the world safe. And we're
00:16:59we're certainly not going to allow allow a terrorist regime in Iran Iran to control the Straits of Hormuz
00:17:02Hormuz or threaten the region of of the world with nuclear weapons. weapons. So yeah, we'll get prices
00:17:06prices down. America is now the leading leading oil and gas producer because
00:17:09because of Republicans. We need more more refineries. It's been Democrats Democrats like Gavin Newsom that
00:17:12that have reduced the number of refineries refineries we have in America. But But Republicans know the answer and
00:17:16and we'll see those costs come down.
00:17:19down. Do the Democrats Ameshia Cross
00:17:22Cross still have a brand problem?
00:17:24problem? Is being anti Donald Trump
00:17:28Trump enough? I think that what we've we've seen in terms of democratic
00:17:31democratic growth in places where. where. And Democrat and voter growth growth for Democratic candidates
00:17:34candidates in places that voted for for Trump not once, not twice, but
00:17:37but three times that the Democrats Democrats have a message that is
00:17:40is working. We see them gaining ground ground in places like Mississippi, Mississippi, which has been a red
00:17:44red state for as long as the state state has existed. We've seen them
00:17:47them gain ground in places like Texas. Texas. We've seen them gain ground
00:17:51ground in some of these red areas areas and in large part is because because they have a message that
00:17:54that is working. They are sticking sticking to the issues that Americans Americans are feeling at home and
00:17:58and in their pocketbooks, whether whether that's not being able to to afford housing, whether that is
00:18:01is health care, whether that is putting putting America first. You know, know, Trump said he was going to
00:18:05to put America first. It looks like like he's putting Israel first and
00:18:08and putting our interests and our our pocketbooks at risk by this war
00:18:12war of choice in Iran, which nobody nobody asked for, which nobody in
00:18:15in this country supports, of which which Republicans are going to pay
00:18:18pay the price, not only at the ballot
00:18:21ballot box tomorrow, but also throughout throughout the election cycle in in 28 as well, because that war is
00:18:25is not going to end any time too too soon. OK. We're going to come
00:18:27come back to you both shortly. Whether Whether President Trump wins or loses
00:18:31loses the midterms, what could he he do next? And what should the Democrats
00:18:34Democrats do next? Let's ask David David Frum, a former speechwriter
00:18:38speechwriter for George W Bush, Mr
00:18:39Mr Frum left the Republican Party
00:18:42Party in 2024 in protest at Donald Donald Trump's re-election. He's
00:18:45He's been critical of both parties
00:18:48parties in this campaign. Mr Frum, Frum, irrespective of whether he
00:18:51he wins or loses the midterms, what
00:18:53what could he do next? Do you think.
00:18:57think. A president, any president president has a lot of executive
00:19:00executive powers, war powers and
00:19:02and other powers that are labelled labelled emergency powers that are
00:19:05are supposed to be exercised as delegations delegations of authority from Congress? Congress? But the President Trump
00:19:09Trump has used without regard to
00:19:11to Congress. He also may act out
00:19:14out in various kinds of ways. He
00:19:16He is seems to be increasingly temperamental,
00:19:20temperamental, irritable, unpredictable. unpredictable. After he lost the
00:19:22the House of Representatives in 2018,
00:19:242018, Trump tried to exert exert exert himself, but he was still bounded
00:19:28bounded by a White House staff that that included people like General General John Kelly. This time there's
00:19:32there's no one to bound him, so we we are probably heading into some
00:19:36some very confrontational days that that will be true whether the Democrats Democrats win one House of Congress
00:19:39Congress or two. OK. And in terms
00:19:42terms of the Democrats, what do they
00:19:46they need to do to boost themselves
00:19:47themselves and their brand? Well,
00:19:50Well, Democrats will will have are are having already a big behind the
00:19:54the scenes battle. And the battle. battle. Is this the centre of the
00:19:57the party wants to deal with Trump's Trump's corruption, wants to investigate investigate the abuses of power.
00:20:01power. How did the President make make so many billions of dollars
00:20:03dollars in just two years in office, office, when he's supposed to be
00:20:06be complying with laws and conflicts conflicts of interest rules? The The left of the party actually is
00:20:10is is kind of softer on Trump than than the centre of the party. Their
00:20:13Their view is Trump is just an epiphenomenon, epiphenomenon, a representation of
00:20:17of the defects of the capitalist
00:20:18capitalist system. Do social change change and get past Trump. That's
00:20:22That's sort of the approach that that President Biden took. Ignore
00:20:24Ignore Trump, hope he'll go away
00:20:27away and skip do social reforms rather rather than institutional reforms.
00:20:31reforms. Do social big, try to pass pass big pieces of domestic legislation
00:20:34legislation rather than get to the the bottom of the corruption of the
00:20:36the past two years? What's your sense
00:20:38sense about what voters want. Voters
00:20:42Voters want prices to stop going going up and if possible, for prices
00:20:45prices to go down. This is not an
00:20:48an impossible ask. The Trump's tariffs tariffs have raised prices in all
00:20:51all kinds of ways. Let me give you you one very concrete example. Aluminium,
00:20:55Aluminium, which is used in everything everything from food cans to make
00:20:58make aeroplanes, the world price price of aluminium is about 3,000
00:21:023,000 USD a tonne. That's the price price in the EU. I believe it's the
00:21:04the price in the UK, it's the price price in China it's the price for
00:21:07for Japan. Americans now pay $5,000
00:21:09$5,000 a tonne for aluminium. And
00:21:12And that is entirely because of Trump's Trump's tariffs. And you go through
00:21:14through other kinds of inputs to to necessary industrial products.
00:21:17products. And again and again you you find these price increases caused
00:21:20caused by the tariffs take the tariffs tariffs off and you get an immediate
00:21:23immediate price reduction. Now that that won't deal with the energy problem. problem. That won't too much deal
00:21:27deal with food prices, but it will will make the economy more efficient. efficient. It will lower prices in
00:21:30in all kinds of areas. That's one one thing that could happen the day
00:21:34day after the election. But the President
00:21:35President has arrogated to himself himself the power over trade that
00:21:39that is assigned by the Constitution Constitution to Congress. Trump has has used it as his own personal power,
00:21:43power, and Congress to date has not not stopped him. OK, so if voters
00:21:46voters want prices to come down, down, can I ask you I mean, Democrat
00:21:50Democrat Democratic voters want that that as well. But do they want to
00:21:53to see if the Democrats take control control of the House of Representatives
00:21:56Representatives and all the Senate? Senate? Do they want to see Donald
00:21:59Donald Trump held accountable in in the way that you have suggested
00:22:03suggested a little earlier? Do they they want to see a third impeachment, impeachment, for example, or do they
00:22:07they want Democrats to concentrate
00:22:09concentrate on their everyday needs? needs? Well, that's the argument
00:22:13argument I mentioned that that is is going to divide the Democratic
00:22:16Democratic Party. Yeah. But the problem problem is that. But what. Is one
00:22:20one that the Democrats. Well, I don't
00:22:23don't think you can aggregate opinions opinions like that. I don't think think there is a single voter mind
00:22:27mind that you can speak of. Voters Voters wants lots of different things.
00:22:30things. And it's the job of politicians politicians to compete, to try to
00:22:34to anticipate what the largest segments segments of the population want. want. You also have to think about
00:22:37about what you can deliver. When When the left of the Democratic Party Party says, let's pass big new agendas,
00:22:41agendas, those things do need a presidential presidential signature. And much
00:22:44much of what the left of the Democratic Democratic Party wants to do is actually actually quite unpopular. Let me
00:22:47me give you one example. There's There's a lot of talk about the slogan
00:22:51slogan Medicare for all. Medicare Medicare is the programme that provides provides health insurance to people
00:22:55people over 65, some on the left left of the Democratic Party want
00:22:57want to make it universal. But to to get from here to there, you would
00:23:00would need a big payroll tax. Is Is that something that Democrats
00:23:04Democrats want to go into 2028 associating associating themselves with, especially especially since the President would
00:23:08would veto it? And it's pretty hard hard to see how you get from here here to there without a big payroll
00:23:11payroll tax. So there are things
00:23:14things that you cannot do without without a presidential signature
00:23:16signature and a lot of what you do do in, in the period between a midterm
00:23:20midterm and a presidential election election is frame that presidential presidential election, making the
00:23:23the issue about corruption. And you you may not be able to stop Trump Trump from being corrupt, but you
00:23:27you can certainly bring to light light specifics about how corrupt
00:23:30corrupt he's been, where that money money came from, how he got it, who
00:23:33who paid it. What are you hearing hearing about whether there will will be a resumption of military
00:23:37military action against Iran after
00:23:39after the midterms? Look, the military military action against Iran has
00:23:43has not stopped, nor has Iran's military military action against the United
00:23:46United States. This has been in many many ways a slow running war that
00:23:49that has been uninterrupted since since the Islamic Revolution of 1979.
00:23:531979. President Trump had very successful successful military campaign last
00:23:57last summer where he struck Iranian Iranian nuclear facilities. I don't don't know why he didn't stop there.
00:24:00there. He opened up a much larger larger war this year, and it's been
00:24:04been inconclusive. The Iranians are are not going to let it go if the
00:24:07the United States stops acting, they they are still going to try to goad goad and provoke the United States
00:24:11States to expose American weakness, weakness, to attack American allies
00:24:14allies in the region. President Trump Trump has has opened a door. He's
00:24:16He's not going to be able to close. close. So I'm guessing yeah, military
00:24:20military action continues. OK. Thank Thank you very much, David Frum.
00:24:22Frum. Thank you. Let's get back to to Democratic strategist Ameshia
00:24:26Ameshia Cross and Republican Congressman Congressman Michael Baumgartner. Baumgartner. Mr Baumgartner, can
00:24:30can I ask you about Iran? Are senior
00:24:34senior Republicans expecting further further military action against Iran
00:24:37Iran after the midterms from the
00:24:38the US and Israel? Well, the question
00:24:44question right now is Iran wants wants to dominate the Straits of of Hormuz and control who goes in
00:24:48in and out of that strait. We're We're not going to allow that. And And we're certainly not going to
00:24:51to allow Iran to have a nuclear weapon. weapon. So the Iranians have agency. agency. But this is the same group
00:24:55group of folks that have been waging waging war on the United States for
00:24:58for nearly 50 years, and they have have a jihadist mindset. And finally, finally, President Trump has been
00:25:02been someone who stood up to that. that. You know, the real ramification ramification of what's going to happen
00:25:05happen in this election. And I think think Republicans are going to do do well on Tuesday night. But, you
00:25:09you know, you think about President President Obama losing 64 seats in
00:25:13in his midterm election and really really getting thumped. It didn't didn't stop President Obama as he he still had an agenda he wanted
00:25:17wanted to push. But the real you you know, so what if your election election is we have to pass a defence
00:25:21defence budget, we have to pass a a National Defence Authorisation
00:25:24Authorisation Act and some things things about national security. And And that's really going to have the
00:25:27the impact, I think, for your viewers viewers in Britain and across the
00:25:30the world is how large will the US US defence budget be? It would certainly
00:25:33certainly be a better, safer defence defence budget if Republicans maintain
00:25:36maintain control. But it's not going going to. What happens on Tuesday
00:25:38Tuesday night is not going to significantly significantly impact the way President President Trump is going to carry
00:25:42carry his duties in the final two two years of his presidency. OK,
00:25:45OK, a little bit of breaking news news here from our political editor
00:25:48editor on that subject. I mean, it's it's interesting, Vic, there has has been an assumption in Washington
00:25:52Washington and certainly in London
00:25:54London that after the midterms, Barack Barack Obama, President Trump might
00:25:57might resume military action against against Iran in the last few hours,
00:26:01hours, Axios News are reporting Donald Donald Trump no rush to decide on
00:26:05on Iran bombing again. This is a a conversation that Barak Ravid from
00:26:08from Axios News has had with Donald
00:26:11Donald Trump and Barak Ravid is really really connected in this area. He
00:26:15He has a good relationship with Donald Donald Trump and that looks like
00:26:18like that's a pretty significant significant conversation they had
00:26:20had had in the last few hours. Ameshia
00:26:23Ameshia Cross given that, I mean, mean, if the Democrats regain control
00:26:26control of Congress, given that Donald Donald Trump didn't get approval
00:26:29approval from Congress the first first time around back in February,
00:26:32February, is there anything the Democrats
00:26:34Democrats could do to stop him? This
00:26:38This is Trump's war of choice. And
00:26:41And unfortunately, I think that it it is going to be a war that we are
00:26:45are going to see for quite some time. time. Is there anything the Democrats Democrats could do to stop. An endless
00:26:48endless war? The Democrats can win
00:26:50win the presidency in 2028. Congressionally, Congressionally, the Democrats are
00:26:54are going to ask for more. They are are going to push for investigations. investigations. We know that that's
00:26:57that's going to happen with the illegitimacy illegitimacy of this war. But this
00:27:00this is a war that the President President waged, and this is a war war that the President will pay the
00:27:04the price for. And unfortunately, unfortunately, Americans pocketbooks pocketbooks as well, because it is
00:27:07is a multibillion dollar war per per day that American taxpayers are
00:27:10are paying for. Meanwhile, watching watching our own economies go down
00:27:13down the drain. And can I ask you you about the dilemma that David
00:27:16David Frum mentioned this debate
00:27:19debate within the Democrats? Do you
00:27:22you should you win tomorrow? Do you you try to impeach Donald Trump for
00:27:25for a third time? Do you leave it it because there are more important
00:27:29important things to be worrying about about and he's Teflon anyway. What
00:27:32What which side is going to come
00:27:35come out on top? Democrats aren't aren't worried about impeachment. impeachment. I think prognosticators
00:27:38prognosticators on the news are the the Democratic Party is not. What
00:27:41What they are concerned with is what what the American people are concerned concerned with, which is affordability
00:27:45affordability and lowering prices prices and making America an easier
00:27:47easier place to live for everyday everyday workers across this country. country. What they are concerned
00:27:51concerned with is rebuilding what what this White House with this president
00:27:53president has torn down in terms terms of civil rights, in terms of
00:27:57of access, in terms of health care, care, all of those things that are
00:27:59are kitchen table issues for the the American public and finding a
00:28:03a way out of this war because Trump Trump will not be president forever. forever. And come 2028, he's going
00:28:07going to take the same blistering blistering loss and his party will will that he's going to take tomorrow
00:28:11tomorrow night. Michael Baumgarten, Baumgarten, could this war go on
00:28:14on for the whole of the final two
00:28:16two years of Donald Trump's presidency?
00:28:24presidency? Well, you know, it depends depends on how much of a threat you
00:28:26you think Iranian Iran having nuclear nuclear weapons is. I certainly am
00:28:29am always going to vote to make sure sure that we do what needs to be
00:28:32be done, that the Iranian jihadists jihadists do get not get nuclear nuclear weapons. And, you know, even
00:28:36even the Democrats Congress, in they they kind of speak out of both sides
00:28:39sides of their mouth on this issue. issue. Obviously politically for for their base, they want to blame
00:28:43blame President Trump for everything everything but the responsible ones
00:28:46ones understand that Iran cannot cannot have a nuclear weapons. And And the issue right now is would
00:28:49would we give the Straits of Hormuz Hormuz to Iran, to these jihadists
00:28:52jihadists to allow them to control control and toll attacks on what
00:28:55what comes in and out of the Straits? Straits? And that certainly isn't
00:28:58isn't isn't productive for anyone. anyone. And so yeah, there's a lot
00:29:01lot of hysterics and hyperbolic in in the lead-up to election day. Is
00:29:04Is the is your other guest has certainly certainly demonstrated. But the reality
00:29:07reality is we got to get back to to responsible governing. And that's
00:29:10that's going to be primarily on what what we do with the defence budget
00:29:13budget coming up. And if Republicans Republicans do well tomorrow night, night, we're going to have a strong
00:29:17strong defence budget that makes makes the rest of the world safer. safer. And if we don't, it will be
00:29:20be a weak defence budget that will will put more costs on people like
00:29:23like those in Great Britain to fund fund more of their own defence. So
00:29:26So that's really the stakes. It's
00:29:27It's not a you know, this is not
00:29:30not a TV show. You know, there's there's high stakes here for the the entire country and the entire
00:29:34entire world and what it means for for the world's national security. security. Thank you both very much
00:29:37much for giving us your time this
00:29:39this evening. We appreciate it. Michael Michael Baumgartner and Ameshia Cross
00:29:42Cross and Nick, how is this looking looking from the UK government's government's perspective? Well, they're
00:29:46they're being really careful. Look, Look, you know privately what Labour
00:29:49Labour politicians, they cheer on on Democratic success. You talk privately
00:29:52privately to cabinet ministers. They're They're appalled by Donald Trump.
00:29:56Trump. But in public, utterly, completely completely disciplined because they've
00:30:00they've got to keep in lockstep with with the White House. And yes, they
00:30:03they may cheer on a Democratic success, success, but those who are cheering
00:30:07cheering that on might say, careful careful what you wish for, because
00:30:10because how will this presidency presidency pan out if it is a poor
00:30:14poor result for the Republicans? Republicans? Thank you very much.
00:30:16much. We will be back here tomorrow, tomorrow, but for now, thanks for
00:30:19for your company. Good night.
00:30:40MUSIC
00:30:45I'm Amanda Walker in Washington
00:30:47and this is BBC World News America. America. President Trump makes a
00:30:51a final appeal for votes ahead of
00:30:54of Tuesday's US midterm elections, elections, where his Republican Party
00:30:56Party is battling to maintain control control of both