US prepares for midterms as administration alters visa rules and diplomatic footprint
Nexus Europa Newsroom
Posted Aug 13, 2026, 12:30 AM UTC · In the digest of 2026-08-13-0030
With three months remaining until the US midterms, voters prepare to decide congressional control alongside diplomatic shifts and new visa rules for foreign journalists.
With three months remaining until the November 3 midterm elections, voters across the United States will decide all 435 House seats, 35 Senate seats, and 36 governorships. The vote represents a significant assessment of President Donald Trump’s second term, while former Vice President Kamala Harris is positioning herself for a political return after faulting former President Joe Biden's approach to congressional Republicans.
Simultaneously, the State Department is closing five diplomatic outposts—in Grenada, Canada, Japan, Indonesia, and Cameroon—as part of an operational restructuring. Furthermore, newly issued administrative guidelines require foreign journalists seeking US visas to set their social media accounts to public status for official review.
Sources: Avaz, CDM (Cafe del Montenegro), HRT Vijesti, Index, Klix.
How outlets assessed this
- Aug 13, 2026, 12:30 AM UTC
- Index Critical Highlighted Donald Trump's record-low approval ratings heading into the midterm elections.
- HRT Vijesti Neutral Framed the upcoming midterms neutrally as a crucial test for Trump's second term.
- Danas Critical Framed Trump's second term as failing, highlighting foreign policy isolation and diminishing political dominance.
- N1 Neutral Provided factual reporting on research data detailing $177 billion in frozen or cancelled federal public grants.
- Danas Critical Emphasized media analyses asserting that Trump’s dominance is waning due to strategic missteps despite holding vast executive authority.
- Vijesti Critical Highlighted ways in which administration policies have diminished American global influence and domestic stability.
- Danas Critical Highlighted commentary asserting that executive incompetence and isolated foreign policy are bringing an end to Trump's dominance.
- Vijesti Critical Framed the second term around ten specific ways President Trump's administration has undermined American national strength.
- N1 Neutral Focused on documenting the specific domestic financial impacts of frozen and canceled federal grants.
- Danas Critical Framed the administration as increasingly isolated internationally and ineffective despite holding expanded executive power.
- N1 Neutral Provided factual coverage focusing strictly on the documented $177 billion in federal grant cuts.
- Klix Neutral Reported on the International IDEA findings identifying US democratic decline as part of a global trend.
- Danas Critical Emphasized analyses declaring the end of Trump's dominance and highlighting political isolation despite strong executive power.
- Vijesti Critical Framed Trump's second-term policies as weakening the United States' internal vitality and global standing.
- Klix Neutral Reported on International IDEA findings placing US democratic indicators at a 50-year low.
- Danas Critical Framed Trump's leadership through commentary claiming his international dominance is ending due to diplomatic isolation.
- Klix Neutral Reported neutrally on International IDEA's findings regarding the 50-year low in US democratic indicators.
- N1 Neutral Focused on research documenting $177 billion in frozen or eliminated federal grants for social programs.
- Danas Critical Highlighted commentary arguing Trump's era of influence is diminishing due to severe international political isolation.
- Vijesti Critical Emphasized that Trump's second-term agenda has eroded domestic cohesion and global standing rather than restoring national strength.
- Danas Critical Framed Trump's administration as increasingly isolated and struggling despite expanded executive power and congressional support.
- Vijesti Critical Emphasized how Trump's domestic and foreign policies have eroded American global standing and internal cohesion.
Sources
- Avaz — Trampova administracija zatvara pet diplomatskih predstavništava u svijetu
- Klix — Nova pravila za novinare koji žele američku vizu: Sada će im se provjeravati i objave na društvenim mrežama
- CDM (Cafe del Montenegro) — Kamala Haris sprema povratak
- Index — Tri mjeseca do izbora koji mogu potpuno promijeniti Trumpov drugi mandat
- HRT Vijesti — Tri mjeseca do međuizbora Trumpova popularnost na velikoj kušnji
Earlier coverage
- Oct 16, 2026, 08:30 AM UTCUS democracy indicators drop to 50-year low, report shows
- Oct 16, 2026, 06:00 AM UTCUS democracy metrics drop to 50-year low amid federal spending cuts
- Oct 15, 2026, 11:30 PM UTCReports highlight declining democratic metrics and grant cuts under Trump
- Oct 15, 2026, 03:00 PM UTCReports highlight democratic decline and federal grant cuts under Trump
- Oct 14, 2026, 08:30 AM UTCUS democratic metrics hit 50-year low amid policy shifts in Trump presidency
- Oct 14, 2026, 01:00 AM UTCUS democracy indicators hit 50-year low amid federal spending freezes
- Oct 10, 2026, 01:30 AM UTCUS democracy metrics reach 50-year low amid federal spending cuts
- Oct 3, 2026, 02:00 PM UTCUS democracy indicators hit 50-year low amid policy shifts and spending freezes
- Oct 3, 2026, 06:30 AM UTCUS democratic metrics hit 50-year low amidst federal grant freezes and domestic challenges
- Sep 30, 2026, 07:00 AM UTCUS democracy indicators fall to 50-year low during Trump's second term