President Donald Trump's administration faced scrutiny on multiple fronts this week, including healthcare policy, human rights, and immigration, while also announcing the temporary closure of the Kennedy Center for renovations.
Efforts to extend Affordable Care Act (ACA) subsidies stalled in Congress, reigniting old arguments among Republicans, according to NPR News. The bipartisan deal, which initially seemed promising at the beginning of the year, faced uncertainty in the Senate.
Meanwhile, Trump announced on Sunday via Truth Social that the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C., would close on July 4 for approximately two years for renovation, coinciding with the country's 250th anniversary, Time reported. Trump stated the decision followed a yearlong review with contractors, musical experts, arts institutions, and advisors. This announcement came after a series of cancellations by artists slated to perform at the venue, following leadership changes and the addition of Trump's name to the space last year, according to Time.
The state of human rights under the Trump administration also came under scrutiny. Time argued that the "rules-based order that helped make human rights enforceable is fraying fast" due to pressure from the Trump administration, as well as actions by China and Russia. The article suggested that a new "durable human rights alliance" was needed to defend core norms.
Vox explored contrasting perspectives on Trump's impact. One article suggested that Trump's ego might inadvertently save democracy, citing Minnesota as a potential blueprint for preventing a slide into authoritarianism. The article noted that Trump is "frequently accused of authoritarian ambitions," an image he sometimes "seems to relish." However, another Vox article argued that Trump had turned his biggest political asset, mass deportation, into a liability. The article noted that when Trump launched his deportation campaign in January 2025, he initially had public support, a stark contrast to the situation under the Biden administration.
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