Guardian Column Argues Allies Should Speak Plainly as Trump Nears Midterms

A Guardian opinion column by Zoe Daniel, published Oct. 17, 2026, argues that once Donald Trump's final term begins narrowing toward its end, allied governments such as Australia's should stop softening their language about his conduct and say directly what officials privately think, according to the column.

What Is the Guardian Column Actually Arguing?

Daniel, a former ABC foreign correspondent and ex-independent member of the Australian parliament for Goldstein, writes that governments have spent years "dancing around Trump's unpredictability, his bullying and his threats," and contends it is "past time to reassert" allied values rather than continue managing the relationship with caution, per the column. The piece frames the argument around the Nov. 3, 2026, U.S. midterm elections as the moment that could determine how much political room Trump has left to act without facing legislative pushback.

Why Do the Midterms Matter to Trump's Remaining Term?

The column describes the midterms as "transformational," arguing the outcome in the House and Senate will shape the rest of Trump's presidency, according to the Guardian piece. It notes Trump cannot seek a third term in 2028 under the constitutional ban on that outcome, absent some way around it, leaving him, in Daniel's framing, racing to cement a legacy as "the most consequential president ever" — for better or worse, in her words. The piece argues that because Trump retains the title of commander in chief regardless of the midterm result, he keeps the authority to "unleash conflict," a power Daniel says he has already shown willingness to use in the decision to go to war against Iran, as described in the column.

What Does the Column Cite as a "New Low"?

Daniel points to the administration's handling of execution-related messaging as a specific example. The column states the administration floated plans to livestream an execution, attributed in the piece to Secretary of War Pete Hegseth — described by Daniel as a former Fox News host — before walking the plan back. Daniel characterizes the episode, paired with what she calls a betrayal of Ukraine amid dealmaking with Russia, as a low point meant to divert attention from setbacks such as the Iran conflict, according to the column. HTT News has not independently verified the walked-back plan beyond what is described in the Guardian piece and attributes the claim to that source.

Has Trump's Second Term Differed From the First?

The column argues Trump's second term has been "better organised and deliberate" than his first but has featured few checks on his behavior, a dynamic Daniel attributes to being surrounded by aides she describes as "yes people." She notes Trump increased his vote total in 2024 and won control of the White House, House and Senate simultaneously, which the column says left him operating with little institutional restraint heading into the midterms.

Could Trump Pursue a Third Term?

The column raises, without resolving, the possibility that Trump might look for a way around the constitutional bar on a third term in 2028. Daniel's framing treats the current term as his last under existing constitutional limits, and the piece's broader argument — that allies should speak more candidly now — is built on the premise that his remaining time in office is finite, according to the column.

Midterm Election Figures Cited in the Column

• All 435 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives are on the ballot Nov. 3, 2026, per the Guardian piece.
• 35 of the 100 Senate seats are being contested in the same election, according to the column.

The piece does not provide polling figures, vote-share projections, or seat-count forecasts, and none are included here because they do not appear in the source material.

Daniel's column is presented as opinion commentary rather than news reporting, and the Guardian identifies her as a former journalist and former Australian lawmaker rather than a current government official. Her argument that Australia and similar allies should abandon diplomatic caution toward Washington is her own assessment, not a policy position attributed to the Australian government in the piece.

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