How Trump plunged the United States into numerous crises? - The Guardian

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In today's press review, we read an article discussing how "Trump and his administration plunged the United States into numerous crises," another addressing the challenges of the Argentine national team in the "post-Lionel Messi era," and a third discussing the possibility of British scientists succeeding in "farming coal mines."

We start with the British newspaper The Guardian, and an article titled "How Trump and his administration plunged the United States into numerous crises," co-authored by three journalists from the paper's team.

The article argues that the United States faces a series of crises with far-reaching repercussions, most notably significant cuts to budgets of important government agencies, disease outbreaks, and the emergence of new risks of environmental disasters and more.

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The article stated: "However, the Trump administration has hampered the federal government's ability to address these crises, and in some cases has actively contributed to fueling them. Over the past year, the administration has taken steps to reduce the number of federal government employees, rolled back environmental protections and policies aimed at combating the climate crisis, cut funding for scientific research, and is seeking to pass legislation imposing new restrictions on voting."

The newspaper wrote: "Just this week, Trump delivered a speech questioning the integrity of U.S. elections, and last week, he appointed a climate science critic to oversee the main government report on the impact of climate change on the United States. At the same time, the country faces a widespread outbreak of cyclospora, a parasitic disease that causes severe watery diarrhea that can last for weeks."

The article adds: "No aspect has escaped Trump's eagerness to shrink the federal government. Despite his stated concerns about election security... his administration has significantly weakened the offices dedicated to protecting U.S. elections," while the Trump administration began its term by downplaying the threat of Russian interference in elections.

The newspaper quotes Democratic Senator Mark Warner as saying that "Trump's staffing cuts have cost the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, tasked with countering cyber threats, a third of its workforce."

The article notes that other agencies tasked with tracking and countering foreign interference in U.S. elections have faced similar cuts, and "the FBI has lost up to 2,800 agents since January/December 2025."

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Regarding public health, officials in five U.S. states, including the hardest-hit Michigan, are facing one of the country's largest outbreaks of the cyclospora parasite this summer.

Public health officials reported that their tracking of the disease has slowed due to lack of resources, according to The Guardian article, which notes that the Trump administration "had cut $11.4 billion in funding for health departments at the local and state levels just one year earlier."

The article warns that the United States is on track to set a new record for measles cases in 2026, surpassing last year, which was already the worst in terms of cases in three decades.

The newspaper quoted Shaughnessy Naughton, president of 314 Action, an organization that works to elect scientists to public office in the United States, as saying: "We've already seen what happens when political appointees placed by Donald Trump are put in positions overseeing health and science funding. The result is an absolute catastrophe."

Regarding environmental risks, the article argues that since Trump returned to the White House last year, "his administration has waged a broad assault on environmental protections, rolling back clean air and water standards, and promoting fossil fuels," while experts warn of a darker future, where the United States becomes more vulnerable to environmental disasters and exposure to toxic substances, even as large parts of the country struggle to breathe with the spread of smoke from Canadian wildfires over vast areas of the United States, according to the article.

The future of the Argentine national team "after Messi"

Image caption, Messi cries during the coronation ceremony after Argentina's defeat to Spain, and Spain's victory in the 2026 World Cup

We move to The Independent, and an editorial titled "Time to rebuild the Argentina team... but how can Messi be replaced?"

The article discusses the Argentine national team's loss in the 2026 World Cup final on Sunday, and Spain's victory in the tournament, which brought tears to Argentine star Lionel Messi and his coach Lionel Scaloni.

The newspaper refers to the professional future of the two men, saying that neither "has confirmed the end of his career with Argentina, but one hinted at it with his words (coach Scaloni). As for the other (Messi), his age may be the evidence."

The newspaper sees that Lionel Messi's potential retirement will force Argentina to form a new team.

The newspaper highlights Messi's prominent role in the team, saying: "Messi was the first name on Scaloni's lineup, and the entire team was built around him; it was a successful formula. Perhaps this World Cup highlighted how much this plan depended on Messi, and how weak Argentina is without him. In his quietest match, against Spain, they waited 120 minutes for a single shot on goal."

The article adds: "Even the possibility of some World Cup matches being held in Buenos Aires in the summer of 2030 will not change the fact that he will be 43 years old by then. His arch-rival, Cristiano Ronaldo, has aged noticeably, which hampered Portugal's performance. Messi may not want to emulate him. He may realize that some things are beyond his abilities."

Scaloni hinted at a huge task ahead that may be beyond his abilities; Messi's talent makes him irreplaceable, and Argentina's tactics are built around him, as is its identity, according to the newspaper.

The newspaper wrote: "Rebuilding the team without Messi poses challenges... Julián Álvarez and Lautaro Martínez have performed exceptionally as Messi's partners, but will they succeed as a duo without him? And can Argentina find its playing style without all its players focusing on the midfield?"

"Underground farming"

Image caption, Coal mine in Britain. Archive

Finally, we conclude our tour from The Telegraph and an article by Sarah Knapton titled "Old coal mines could become the future of farming."