Trump Administration Faces Scrutiny Amidst International and Domestic Developments
Washington D.C. - President Donald Trump's administration faced a series of challenges and controversies as February 2026 began, ranging from international interventions to domestic policy shifts. The administration's actions in Venezuela, coupled with proposed changes to cultural institutions and the broader global order, drew scrutiny from various sectors.
Nearly a month after U.S. forces seized Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, Caracas was settling into an uneasy normal, according to NPR. The situation presented "major changes and lingering questions about what lasts and what comes next," NPR reported.
Domestically, President Trump announced plans to close the Kennedy Center for two years starting in July for renovations, according to the Associated Press. The announcement, made via social media, followed a wave of cancellations by leading performers and groups since Trump's return to the White House, the AP reported.
The President's approach to foreign policy also came under examination. Vox reported that Trump was "trying to shape a new world order," despite his "America First" promises. Recent weeks had seen US action in Venezuela, threats to Greenland, Europe, and Iran, and Trump's open solicitation of a Nobel Peace Prize. Vox also noted the creation of the Board of Peace, labeled as a minor bid to replace the United Nations.
Concerns were also raised about the future of human rights under the Trump administration. Time magazine questioned whether human rights could survive without the rules that established them. The magazine argued that the "rules-based order that helped make human rights enforceable is fraying fast" under pressure from the Trump administration, as well as from China and Russia. Time suggested that a "durable human rights alliance" was needed to defend core norms.
Meanwhile, President Trump's poll numbers were reportedly declining. Vox reported that political journalists were closely monitoring the views of Trump's base. Astead Herndon of Vox noted the importance of having a "good MAGA guy" to consult when things were looking messy in Trump's GOP orbit.
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