America: The Year In Review
The phrase "may you live in interesting times" is a statement usually attributed to China. While the statement is associated with a Chinese curse, it can describe the present state of the United States.
Americans are indeed living in interesting times. It is a time when America is being governed by a president whose personality seems more like a petulant child than a mature adult. It is a time when the US Constitution is being challenged by a Supreme Court that has decided that the president is closer to a king than not, given its support for the unitary executive theory.
Americans have witnessed a chief executive officer who is obsessed with buildings having his name etched onto them, including the Kennedy Center. Displaying hints of being unhinged, the president had the "Presidential Walk of Fame" built — portraits of former presidents with insulting descriptions written beneath them.
Congress has seemingly abdicated its Article One powers as defined in the Constitution, effectively giving the president carte blanche on many issues. This congress has been the least productive in over 50 years.
“2025 can be defined as the year of the shrinking congress and the year of incompetence.”
— Tony Aguilar, CMCG Commentary
There are many descriptions that describe the past year. They include profiles in courage and profiles in cowardice. 2025 can also be defined as the year of the shrinking congress and the year of incompetence. Most of all it has been a year of chaos and an administration which has seemingly gone rogue.
Key Themes of 2025
- Profiles in courage & cowardice
- The shrinking Congress
- A year of incompetence
- Chaos and a rogue administration
4.3%
GDP growth in Q3 — yet the job market softened, unemployment increased, and affordability remained a source of anxiety for millions.
Global Tensions
- Canada, Greenland annexation threats
- JD Vance Munich Security speech
- Ukraine — Trump sided with Kremlin
- End of US AID — 600,000 deaths
- Nigeria missile attack
The economy, from a statistical perspective, is doing fairly well as it was under Biden. During Q3, GDP grew 4.3%. Investment, especially in AI, has been robust, predictions of a recession have not panned out and inflation has decreased.
Nonetheless, the job market has softened, unemployment has increased and affordability remains a source of anxiety for Americans. Bankruptcies have increased and the farming sector is taking a huge hit because of the tariffs.
Foreign Policy
As 2025 began, nations around the world braced for what was going to be a year of chaos and controversy. The administration's contempt for its allies was in full view as the president stated a desire to annex Canada, Greenland and to take back the Panama Canal. The ending of US AID was a blow to America's ability to use soft power — resulting in the preventable deaths of six hundred thousand people.
As the Russian invasion of Ukraine continued, the year will be remembered for what seemed like a staged attack on the president of Ukraine by President Trump and Vice President JD Vance in the oval office. Europeans have stood by President Zelenskyy as the administration consistently tried to get Ukraine to succumb to the demands of President Putin.
Law firms like Paul, Weiss
Made deals to provide free legal work for Trump-supported causes
Universities — Columbia, Brown, Northwestern
Seemingly willing to give up their independence
Media outlets — Washington Post, LA Times
Pulled endorsements — seen as capitulation toward authoritarianism
ABC and CBS networks
Seemingly bent the knee to administration pressure
Yet grassroots resistance matched every act of cowardice.
Two nation-wide "no kings day marches" drew five million and seven million people respectively.
2026 will be an interesting year as well. As Trump is a lame duck president he will face several challenges. More republicans will not only retire but will be reticent about supporting a president whose popularity continues to slide.
Most analysts predict that Democrats will retake the House of Representatives although retaking the Senate will be more difficult. As a result, there will be a plethora of congressional hearings which may lead to several attempts at impeachment of cabinet officials.
The world has many hot spots, including Ukraine, Sudan, Gaza, Venezuela, and Congo/Rwanda. Tariffs will once again take center stage as companies will begin to pass along the extra cost they have incurred. Deportations will continue as a point of contention as Stephen Miller will look to get more extreme even as the resistance to such measures grows.
“America is indeed living in interesting times, but the American people will have the last say beginning in 2026.”
— Tony Aguilar, CMCG Commentary
America's 250th Birthday
America will celebrate its 250th birthday in 2026. The nation described by John Winthrop as "a city on a hill" is at a critical inflection point. It will have to decide if it wants to remain a republic or go the way of nations such as Hungary and Turkey.
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