Prior to his re-election in 2024, Donald Trump committed to releasing files related to several controversial investigations, including the Jeffrey Epstein case. Epstein was an alleged sex trafficker who died while in prison in 2019. Epstein’s connections to prominent figures and the suspicious circumstances surrounding his death created fodder for conspiracy theorists on the right. Last week, Trump’s DOJ and FBI announced they would not release the files and would no longer be investigating the case. That announcement has led to massive blowback from the president’s MAGA base. 

The president is facing similar disdain from the MAGA universe over recent decisions regarding the war in Ukraine. After a massive attack of Russian drone strikes on Kyiv, Trump declared Russian President Vladimir Putin had 50 days to agree to a ceasefire. He also promised to ramp up U.S. military support for Ukraine through a NATO agreement. What finally flipped the switch on Trump’s reverent tone for the Russian leader? Is there any ideological strategy we can glean from this move?

Tourism to the United States is down. Is there any connection to the policies of Donald Trump? Should the tourism industry be a concern of the “America First” crowd?