# Republican candidates distance from Trump on Iran, immigration and diesel amid low-30s approval

Date: 2026

The National reported on 14 October 2026 that some Republican candidates were distancing themselves from [President Donald Trump](/people/mig-donald-trump) on the Iran war, immigration enforcement and the Russia diesel deal while Trump sought to make the midterms a referendum on his presidency. The report placed his national approval in the low 30s with disapproval above 60 percent and quoted former New Jersey governor Chris Christie saying Republicans would treat Trump like he had malaria. The fact records the reported distancing and approval context; it does not claim that [Speaker Mike Johnson](/people/mike-johnson) ordered the candidates' messaging.

## Sources

- https://www.thenationalnews.com/news/us/2026/10/14/trump-midterms-republicans-toxic/

## Methodology

https://factrail.ai/methodology

Canonical: https://factrail.ai/facts/republican-candidates-distance-trump-midterms-2026-10-14