How Trump and his administration have mired the US in multiple crises

A man holds a sign at a rally near the White House against US military action in Iran in April 2026. Photograph: Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images View image in fullscreen A man holds a sign at a rally near the White House against US military action in Iran in April 2026. Photograph: Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images How Trump and his administration have mired the US in multiple crises From manufactured election insecurity to an outbreak of ‘explosive’ diarrhea, Americans are bearing the brunt of harmful policies B etween widespread cuts to vital government agencies, various disease and illness outbreaks, and new environmental disaster vulnerabilities, the United States is facing a convergence of crises with widespread repercussions. Yet the Trump administration has hamstrung the federal government from addressing these crises – and in some cases is actively fanning them. Over the past year, the administration has moved to shrink the federal workforce , roll back environmental protections and policies intended to fight the climate crisis , reduced funding for scientific research and is seeking to advance legislation that would impose new voting restrictions. Trump accused of trying to ‘rig’ elections after firing federal commissioners Read more Just this week, Trump delivered an address casting doubt on the integrity of US elections, and last week, appointed a critic of mainstream climate science to oversee the government’s flagship report about the impact of climate change on the United States. Meanwhile, the country is facing a nationwide outbreak of cyclosporiasis , a parasitic illness that can cause “explosive” diarrhea. Here’s a closer look at each crisis unfolding. Election security View image in fullscreen Donald Trump speaks about election security during an address to the nation from the White House on Thursday. Photograph: Saul Loeb/Pool via Reuters Trump’s zeal to downsize the federal government has spared few corners. Despite his professed concerns with election security – articulated on Thursday night in a conspiracy-laden attack on US democracy – his administration has dramatically weakened the offices intended to safeguard US elections. His administration began its time in power by downplaying the significance of Russia’s threat of election meddling. His staffing cuts cost the cybersecurity and infrastructure security agency, which is tasked with countering cyber threats, a third of its workforce, according to Mark Warner, a Democratic senator. The administration has also proposed slashing the agency’s budget by $707m in order to address “weaponization and waste”. Earlier this month, Trump ousted the only three commissioners left serving on an independent federal commission that assists states with election administration. Other agencies that play a role in tracking and countering foreign election meddling have faced cuts too. The FBI has lost as many as 2,800 agents since January 2025, and when the federal housing official Bill Pult