<description>&lt;p&gt;“WE DO NOT NEED THE HELP OF ANYONE!” This post by President Donald Trump is one of the many mixed messages sent from his Truth Social account this week. It contrasts with his earlier appeals for world leaders, including NATO countries such as Canada, to step up and help defend the critically important Strait of Hormuz.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;As the war in the Middle East enters its third week, CBC’s Washington correspondents Willy Lowry, Paul Hunter and Katie Simpson take a look at Trump’s attempts at political peer pressure and how world leaders are responding to his ever-shifting demands.&lt;/p&gt;</description>

“WE DO NOT NEED THE HELP OF ANYONE!” This post by President Donald Trump is one of the many mixed messages sent from his Truth Social account this week. It contrasts with his earlier appeals for world leaders, including NATO countries such as Canada, to step up and help defend the critically important Strait of Hormuz.&nbsp; As the war in the Middle East enters its third week, CBC’s Washington correspondents Willy Lowry, Paul Hunter and Katie Simpson take a look at Trump’s attempts at political peer pressure and how world leaders are responding to his ever-shifting demands.

Trump’s coalition of the pressured

<description>&lt;p&gt;As the U.S. war in the Middle East continues, gas prices are on the rise and American voters are paying attention. Affordability remains a key issue, and President Donald Trump’s decision to wage war on Iran is drawing criticism not only from Democrats, but from within his MAGA base.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;As the November midterms approach, will the war overseas lead to a referendum on the Trump administration at home?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;CBC’s Washington correspondents Paul Hunter, Willy Lowry and Katie Simpson unpack the economic cost of war on Iran — and ask whether Americans seem willing to pay.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;</description>

As the U.S. war in the Middle East continues, gas prices are on the rise and American voters are paying attention. Affordability remains a key issue, and President Donald Trump’s decision to wage war on Iran is drawing criticism not only from Democrats, but from within his MAGA base. As the November midterms approach, will the war overseas lead to a referendum on the Trump administration at home? CBC’s Washington correspondents Paul Hunter, Willy Lowry and Katie Simpson unpack the economic cost of war on Iran — and ask whether Americans seem willing to pay.&nbsp;

Iran, oil and Trump’s political gamble

<description>&lt;p&gt;Reactions to the U.S.-Israeli attacks on Iran are mixed. Members of Congress are accusing President Donald Trump of starting an illegal war, questioning why he failed to seek congressional approval ahead of the strikes. Meanwhile, U.S. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has said the military intervention will follow 'no stupid rules of engagement.' The operation has put U.S. allies in a tricky position. Many — including Canada — have said there is some validity in targeting Iranian nuclear sites. But how far does that support go?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;With all eyes on the Middle East, CBC’s Washington correspondents Willy Lowry, Paul Hunter and Katie Simpson walk us through what has become yet another way Trump is testing his executive powers.&lt;/p&gt;</description>

Reactions to the U.S.-Israeli attacks on Iran are mixed. Members of Congress are accusing President Donald Trump of starting an illegal war, questioning why he failed to seek congressional approval ahead of the strikes. Meanwhile, U.S. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has said the military intervention will follow 'no stupid rules of engagement.' The operation has put U.S. allies in a tricky position. Many — including Canada — have said there is some validity in targeting Iranian nuclear sites. But how far does that support go? With all eyes on the Middle East, CBC’s Washington correspondents Willy Lowry, Paul Hunter and Katie Simpson walk us through what has become yet another way Trump is testing his executive powers.

Trump's 'no rules' war on Iran

<description>&lt;p&gt;Clocking in at 108 minutes, U.S. President Donald Trump's state of the union address was the longest in U.S. history, with the only mention of Canada coming during a tribute to the U.S. Olympic men’s hockey team. It’s all part of the 'U.S. is winning' message Trump is trying to push ahead of November's midterm elections. But is it working?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The CBC's Washington correspondents Katie Simpson, Paul Hunter and Willy Lowry unpack what it all means for the year ahead in U.S. politics and Canada-U.S. relations.&lt;/p&gt;</description>

Clocking in at 108 minutes, U.S. President Donald Trump's state of the union address was the longest in U.S. history, with the only mention of Canada coming during a tribute to the U.S. Olympic men’s hockey team. It’s all part of the 'U.S. is winning' message Trump is trying to push ahead of November's midterm elections. But is it working? The CBC's Washington correspondents Katie Simpson, Paul Hunter and Willy Lowry unpack what it all means for the year ahead in U.S. politics and Canada-U.S. relations.

Is America really winning?

<description>&lt;p&gt;Mark Wiseman made his debut as Canada’s ambassador to the U.S. this week, and the stakes couldn’t be higher. He starts the post in a complicated time for Canadian-U.S. relations, taking over from Kirsten Hillman, a stable presence and a dogged negotiator for Canada since her appointment in 2020. So what will this changing of the guard mean for Canada?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;CBC’s Washington correspondents Paul Hunter, Katie Simpson and Willy Lowry take a look at what role the Canadian ambassador to the U.S. plays in Washington and how much power Wiseman and others have to actually move the needle with the Trump administration.&lt;/p&gt;</description>

Mark Wiseman made his debut as Canada’s ambassador to the U.S. this week, and the stakes couldn’t be higher. He starts the post in a complicated time for Canadian-U.S. relations, taking over from Kirsten Hillman, a stable presence and a dogged negotiator for Canada since her appointment in 2020. So what will this changing of the guard mean for Canada? CBC’s Washington correspondents Paul Hunter, Katie Simpson and Willy Lowry take a look at what role the Canadian ambassador to the U.S. plays in Washington and how much power Wiseman and others have to actually move the needle with the Trump administration.

New ambassador, unpredictable politics

American politics, Canadian context.&nbsp;Every Wednesday,&nbsp;CBC Washington correspondents&nbsp;Paul Hunter, Katie Simpson and Willy Lowry sit down to talk through the big stories in the U.S. — and to answer the question: what does this mean for Canada?&nbsp;It's unscripted, smart analysis from reporters with a foot in both countries, and a press pass to the White House.

Two Blocks from the White House

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