Welcome to the beat. I'm Antonia Hilton in this evening for Ari Melburgh. Today, six months from the midterms,

the sputtering economy and an unpopular war, they're dragging down Donald Trump. And I suppose arguably

the rest of us with him. In the last few hours, the fragile, month-long ceasefire between Iran and the U.S.

has started to teeter.

The Pentagon says it shot down Iranian missiles and drones aimed at American military and

commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz, sinking six Iranian military boats.

The U.S. says it will, quote, guide ships through the strait and that two American ships have passed through.

All this comes amid brutal new polling numbers for Trump on the war, the economy, and so much more.

Today, a new sign the Trump White House knows things aren't looking so good.

The Washington Post reporting White House lawyers are prepping staff to deal with oversight from a new Democratic Congress, as they, quote, brace for the likelihood of significant Democratic victories in the November midterm elections.

A Republican operative telling Politico, the warning signs are flashing.

In a new Washington Post ABC poll, more Americans disapprove of the job

Trump is doing than at any point in his second term, 62%. It's not just overall job performance where

he's 25 points underwater. It's also cost of living, inflation, economy, taxes, immigration, the border,

Iran. Trump has negative ratings on all of them. Gas prices are now approaching $450 per gallon,

up almost $1.50 since the start of this war. Trump's Republican support also

softening. His ratings among Republican-leaning independents have now reached a new low of 56%, as the

post notes. Among independents overall, he's at a staggering 25%. Trump trying to rally his base by going to a retirement community in Florida.

You can see the banner right there behind him, golden age for your golden years.

A sort of strange slogan to spotlight right now, inadvertently revealing a giant blind spot.

As young voters and young parents couldn't be more clear

right now, they're anxious about the job market. They're worried they don't have real wealth in the

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