Graphic Truth: Three Decades of Decay

The top line findings of the Mueller investigation have all but ended one of the biggest scandals in modern US political history, by determining that the Trump campaign did not coordinate with Russian government efforts to influence the 2016 presidential election. While that's certainly good news for American democracy – and for the rule of law – the deeply politicized response to the Mueller findings points to a bigger issue: Americans' trust in all of the most important democratic institutions has been falling for decades. Well, all except one.

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Ian Bremmer's Quick Take: For the first time, Europe is leading the charge on a Ukraine ceasefire, with the US stepping back after the Trump-Zelensky fallout. Can they succeed? Ian Bremmer explains in Quick Take.

Playing cards depicting President Donald Trump on display in West Palm Beach, Florida, late last year.
REUTERS/Marco Bello

European leaders are forced to confront the reality of President Donald Trump’s “transactional” and competitive negotiation style, which prioritizes US interests above traditional alliances.

Iran's outgoing VP Mohammad Javad Zarif speaks during a news conference in Tehran back in 2019.

Nazanin Tabatabaee/WANA via Reuters

The administration of Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian suffered a second blow in as many days with the resignation Monday of Mohammad Javad Zarif, Iran’s vice president for strategic affairs. His departure comes after the impeachment on Sunday of another Pezeshkian ally, Economy Minister Abdolnaser Hemmati, over the decline of the Iranian rial, and is a sign that conservative forces are gaining ground within the current administration.

Director Sean Baker, producers Alex Coco, and Samantha Quan, and cast and crew members win the Oscar for best picture for "Anora" during the Oscars show at the 97th Academy Awards in Hollywood, Los Angeles, on March 2, 2025.

REUTERS/Carlos Barria

It was a big night for independent filmmaking and a film with Russian themes at the Oscars on Sunday as “Anora” took home five Academy Awards, including best screenplay, best editing, best director, best actress, and best picture.

Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, France's President Emmanuel Macron, Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Germany's Chancellor Olaf Scholz, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, European Council President Antonio Costa, Denmark's Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, Sweden's Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, Norway's Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store, Finland's President Alexander Stubb and other officials attend the European leaders' summit to discuss European security and Ukraine, at Lancaster House in London, Britain, on March 2, 2025.
NTB/Javad Parsa/via REUTERS

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, European leaders from France, Italy, Germany, and other nations, as well as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, spent the weekend in London crafting a European-led plan to bring peace to Ukraine.

Syrian Kurds gather with flags as Turkey's jailed militant leader Abdullah Ocalan calls on his Kurdistan Workers Party to lay down its arms last week in Hasakah, Syria.

REUTERS/Orhan Qereman

After a 40-year conflict with Turkey that has killed 40,000 people, the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, known as the PKK, declared a ceasefire on Saturday following a call from its leader, Abdullah Ocalan, to dissolve the group. Ocalan, imprisoned since 1999, called the move a “historical responsibility” – but one that brings no apparent concessions from Ankara.

Israeli tanks are seen inside Gaza amid a ceasefire breakdown between Israel and Hamas on March 2, 2025.
REUTERS/Amir Cohen

Israeli Defense Forces blocked aid trucks from entering Gaza on Sunday, just one day after the first phase of the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas expired, bringing negotiations over a permanent truce to a standstill.