2026: United States, Trump and International Politics

With everyday events and communication strategies to divert or focus media attention, the first ten days of 2026 reveal a scenario of growing discontent with Donald Trump's policies in various sectors of American society.

It's difficult to pinpoint the most relevant issue, so we'll highlight some of them and how they've been reflected.

Minneapolis and New York City see protests of tens of thousands of people against Trump's anti-immigrant policies, which just days ago resulted in the death of Renee Nicole Macklin Good, killed during an operation by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents.

This reignited social protests and clashes with federal agents, who have used force, including tear gas and pepper spray, to disperse those demanding changes in ICE's practices and an end to police violence.

But for Trump, this doesn't seem to be a priority. He has responded to journalists who have questioned him about the issue with insults such as, "You're ugly inside and out," thus grabbing headlines instead of analysis or reports on the rejection of one of the most controversial domestic measures. Driven by his administration.

The president's despotism and arrogance continue to provoke discontent among students, who have gathered or marched under one of the slogans that has become a symbol of discontent with the tycoon-turned-president: No Kings.

This movement mobilized strongly at the end of 2025 and is doing so again this year. In various cities, with Washington D.C. and New York as its epicenters, citizens have criticized Trump's authoritarian style. He has publicly acknowledged that only his morality will guide his actions, not international law or domestic laws, confirming that he acts as someone above the law. He has been very adept at circumventing legal challenges, lawsuits, and even trials.

So, what can we expect from the morality of someone like this? He has been implicated as a direct participant in the cases of child abuse and pedophilia documented in the Epstein files.

These documents have been partially declassified, sparking renewed protests across the United States. Miami, Los Angeles, New York, and the nation's capital have seen public demonstrations demanding justice for the victims and condemning corruption and the lack of transparency surrounding the case.

It's worth noting that President Trump, frequently mentioned in these documents, authorized the declassification of more information. This occurred on January 3rd, conveniently coinciding with the kidnapping of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro Moros during a U.S. military operation in Caracas, which captured public attention, overshadowing the Jeffrey Epstein files. Coincidence?

Since the imperialist aggression against Venezuela, demonstrations against the U.S. government's warmongering policies and the exchange of blood for oil have been frequent. Several demonstrations demanding their release and condemning the events took place outside the prison where Maduro Moros and his wife are being held, and near the courthouse where he had his first hearing in New York.

But after brief reviews, the media have amplified Trump's communication strategy, which ignores these demonstrations and focuses on justifications for this grotesque and criminal action.

Lies and threats against other Latin American nations and leaders by the US president and his Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, dominate the media agenda.

Once again, international politics—or rather, its violation and the use of force abroad—are overshadowing the serious domestic conflicts facing Trump.

The bombs falling abroad and the blood of Latin Americans are used to mask the erosion of support and unpopularity of the authoritarian leader. Key to this objective are the major media outlets and platforms for media manipulation, which, while having a short reach, are highly targeted. They focus on external conflicts, many of them sponsored and supported by the United States, to divert attention from and prevent analysis of the empire's worsening domestic situation.

Millions of poor people, inflation, protests, police abuse, and the militarization of cities are just some of the issues that are being hidden and that could be addressed and resolved with the millions spent on wars and imperialist propaganda.

Translated by Amilkal Labañino / CubaSí Translation Staff