The News Meeting Donald Trump’s second term one year on
Jan 19, 2026
In this insightful discussion, Erica Wagner, Deputy Comment Editor at The Observer, highlights the human cost of Trump's USAID cuts, warning they could jeopardize millions of lives. Katie Riley, Head of Data and Graphics, connects these cuts to a decline in US soft power and the erosion of scientific credibility. Chris Sabatini, a Senior Research Fellow, outlines Trump's Monroe doctrine and its impact on regional geopolitics, emphasizing grassroots activism as a key counter to Trump's policies. The conversation explores the implications of these changes on both domestic and global scales.
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Trump's Agenda Dominates The News
- Donald Trump's second term has rapidly reshaped global and domestic agendas, creating a persistent news maelstrom.
- Journalists struggle to keep important but less sensational stories, like USAID cuts, in public view long enough to trace consequences.
U.S. Voices And A Latin America Specialist
- Erica Wagner and Katie Riley are Americans in the studio, offering on-the-ground perspectives about the administration's effects.
- Chris Sabatini joined as a Chatham House fellow to contextualize Latin America and hemispheric policy shifts.
Follow Up On Policy With Local Case Studies
- Revisit and report the human impact of policy changes by following specific communities over time.
- Pair local case studies, like Nebraska farmers, with national analysis to reconnect readers to distant policies.
