Antony Blinken on US midterms, Trump & Iran, America-India ties, economy & AI, And more | HTLS 2026

Former US Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken says the scale of Republican losses in the November 3 midterm elections exceeded his expectations. Speaking at the Hindustan Times Leadership Summit 2026, he attributes the setback to voter frustration over unfulfilled campaign promises, rising living costs and perceptions of corruption under the Donald Trump administration. Blinken also argues that Trump’s tariffs and the war on Iran added to inflationary pressures, highlighting the gap between slowing inflation and the lower prices voters had expected.