Donald Trump publicly shifted his tone on Jimmy Carter in Washington in July 2026, invoking the former president as he wrestled with Iran and rising inflation that have drawn unflattering Carter-era comparisons to his own presidency.
Jimmy Carter was long one of Trump's favourite political punchbags, a byword in his rallies and interviews for what he cast as Democratic weakness abroad and economic malaise at home. As a candidate and as president, Trump repeatedly cited Carter as a cautionary tale, arguing that voters should re-elect him to avoid a repeat of the late 1970s.
