US midterms 2026 LIVE updates: Polls open across America with key states threatening President Trump, Republican majority; ‘Blue wave’ predicted for Democrats in House and Senate

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What you need to know

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Welcome to our live coverage of the US midterm elections, where several critical races could have major consequences for US politics and Donald Trump’s presidency.

With polls now open across the country, here’s what you need to know ahead of election night.

• President Donald Trump announced the US will stop providing US$4 billion in aid each year to Israel by the end of 2026. In a phone call interview with Fox News, Trump said Israel “doesn’t need the money anymore”, while adding that the issue had become a “talking point” for Democrats like Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed.
• Trump gave his final address of the midterm election campaign on Monday evening local time at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool in Washington DC, where he drew controversy for focusing on his renovation efforts
• A Reuters/Ipsos poll on Monday showed Trump’s approval rating near a record low, but there are also signs that the battle for Congress between Democrats and Republicans could be tightening. Other polling suggested the Democrats could sweep both houses of Congress in a blue wave.
• Polls will start to close at 6pm Eastern time (10am AEDT), with Texas and most Midwest states closing at 9pm Eastern (1pm AEDT) and Alaska closing at midnight Eastern (4pm AEDT).

Read more on US politics:

• Referendum on Trump: How the midterm elections work
• The key races: These are the contests to watch on election day
• Inside story: Behind the Democrats’ embarrassing Michigan meltdown
• Blue wave: Trump accused of misreading the mood of Americans
• Cory Alpert: Trump’s demolition derby satisfied the bloodlust. Now voters know the cost
• Peter Hartcher: The midterms will prove if the US has become a dictatorship