From foreign entanglements to domestic overreach, here are the most significant concerns critics and watchdog groups have raised about Trump's Part 2.

   Trump has repeatedly threatened to strike Iranian infrastructure — including power plants, bridges, oil wells, and possibly water desalination plants — in ways that legal experts say could amount to war crimes.

   Trump's threat was so broad it did not seem to account for harm to civilians, prompting Democrats in Congress, some UN officials, and scholars in military law to say such strikes would violate international law.

   Former military lawyers who advised targeting operations wrote that such statements "run counter to decades of legal training of military personnel and risk placing warfighters on a path of no return."

Last summer, the administration conducted a second "double-tap" strike on a suspected drug boat in the Caribbean after the first strike left survivors — a tactic that even some Republican politicians expressed concern about. Additionally, the aircraft used in the strikes was painted to look like a civilian plane and concealed its weaponry, which could amount to a war crime known as "perfidy."  

A U.S. submarine sank an Iranian warship even though it wasn't engaged in combat and was in international waters near Sri Lanka.  

While not a traditional battlefield war crime, a Boston University study found that the dismantling of USAID had already caused the deaths of 600,000 people, two-thirds of them children.  

   Ethics watchdog group Issue One has described the administration as "a powder keg of corruption scandals, influence-peddling, and profiteering from public service," arguing that Trump has monetized the presidency in ways that challenge both the intent and the letter of the Constitution.

   Just days before his inauguration, Trump launched a "memecoin" — a cryptocurrency product widely seen as having no practical utility, but one that could serve as an attractive vehicle for investors seeking to curry favor with a president. The First Lady launched her own memecoin the day before the inauguration.

   The most striking example critics have pointed to involves the United Arab Emirates, which made what has been described as the largest cryptocurrency transaction in history — a $2 billion stablecoin purchase in World Liberty Financial, essentially the president's personal crypto fund. Shortly after, Trump permitted the UAE to import a larger quantity of U.S.-produced AI chips than was allowed under the previous administration.

Multiple federal courts issued hundreds of orders against unconstitutional immigration actions by the Department of Homeland Security. A federal judge blocked Trump's executive order seeking to end birthright citizenship, ruling it was likely unconstitutional, becoming the fourth judge to rule against it.  This issue is currently before the United States Supreme Court.

FCC Chair Brendan Carr threatened to revoke broadcast licenses for ABC, CBS, NBC, NPR, and PBS for coverage deemed critical of President Trump, drawing condemnation from press freedom and civil liberties groups.  Democrats filed a lawsuit challenging an executive order that would extend presidential control over independent agencies, including the Federal Election Commission, which plaintiffs argued would undermine their mandated independence.

1. Trump's name appears over 1,000 times

Trump appears in the Epstein files more than 1,000 times. In September 2025 testimony, FBI Director Kash Patel had told Congress Trump's name appeared fewer than 100 times — a claim directly contradicted by the released documents. CNN

2. Sexual assault allegation from a minor

   The most serious allegation comes from a woman who told FBI agents that Epstein brought her to meet Trump sometime when she was between 13 and 15 years old, and that she was taken to a "very tall building." Trump asked everyone to leave the room, and allegedly said something to the effect of "Let me teach you how little girls are supposed to be." The woman told agents he then sexually assaulted her, and that she bit him and he struck her. CNN

   The FBI conducted four interviews with this woman in 2019. The new files do not shed light on how credible investigators viewed her claims or how they were resolved. NPR

3. DOJ officials found the accuser credible

Reporting from Julie K. Brown of the Miami Herald found that DOJ officials who spoke to this woman found her to be credible, and that they "wouldn't have interviewed her four times if they didn't." PBS

4. Trump reportedly knew about Epstein's crimes early

A newly discovered document describes Trump telling Palm Beach police in the mid-2000s that he was glad they were "stopping" Epstein because "everyone has known he's been doing this." Trump also allegedly cited an occasion when he was around Epstein and some teenagers and said he "got the hell out of there." Trump was reportedly one of the "very first people" to call the Palm Beach Police Department when he found out it had been investigating Epstein. CNN

5. Documents were withheld by Trump's Justice Department

An NPR investigation found the Justice Department withheld some Epstein files related to allegations that Trump sexually abused a minor. The files were withheld despite a law mandating their release, including what appear to be more than 50 pages of FBI interviews. NPR  Even after some documents were released following the NPR investigation, at least 37 pages of records remain missing from the public database. NPR

   Key members of Trump's inner circle appear in the Epstein files, including former adviser Steve Bannon, Elon Musk, and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick — each of whom exchanged friendly emails with Epstein for years after his initial arrest and conviction. PBS

   Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick claimed in a 2025 interview that he cut ties with Epstein two decades ago — but documents and his congressional testimony showed that was not accurate. Lutnick also called Epstein "the greatest blackmailer ever," contradicting the Justice Department's own characterization. CNN

   Polling found that 48% of likely 2026 voters say Trump's tariffs are hurting their own economic situation, compared to just 8% who say the tariffs are helping them. Critics have argued that the administration inherited a strong economy and has introduced significant instability through its trade policies.

   In addition to the unmanageable cost of groceries and rent, the current war with Iran has resulted in soaring gas and oil prices.  As of April 7, 2026, the national average for gas is $4.14/gallon for regular unleaded, up from $3.32 just one month ago.

Drafted with the assistance of Claude