Opinion: Trump’s October Surprise Is That He’s Torching His Own Party

Photo Illustration by Victoria Sunday/The Daily Beast/Getty Images The most surprising thing about the 2026 campaign season’s “October surprise” is that it really is a surprise.

Rather than ending a war (completely within his power) or announcing replacements for some of his truly despised Cabinet members (also in his power), President Donald Trump has done something bold and unexpected.

He has decided that, on every day of the homestretch for this year’s midterms, and despite the already big lead Democrats have in the polls, he will do something to undercut any remaining Republican candidate’s chances for victory, to destroy the GOP majorities in the House and Senate and the MAGA brand.

He is on the warpath, attacking his own party and its candidates up and down the ballot.

It was no surprise that Trump announced publicly that he’s on the side of war criminal Vladimir Putin in his war with Ukraine .

Trump loves war criminals.

He loves dictators.

He especially loves Uncle Vlad.

The president probably thought announcing a diesel deal with Russia would be a kind of October surprise—a big win on the energy front.

But people quickly sussed that it was not only not going to make any difference in the cost of filling up their truck or tractor, and that what Trump was actually doing was offering a lifeline to Putin at the expense not only of Ukraine but of democracy, American values, and global security.

Trump’s statements on the war in Iran have also only hurt him.

His concession that the conflict is likely to continue past the election confirmed people’s worst fears.

But there’s much more.

He goes state to state and spouts outrageous lies.