Emerging
Published Jun 17, 2026Updated Jun 18 Major1
83%
Trump declares 'I'm the boss' at G7 summit as multiple investigations reveal domestic policy challenges
President Trump declared 'I'm the boss' at the G7 summit's final day, but multiple AP investigations have exposed challenges in his administration's policies, including family separations despite court orders, misconduct by immigration enforcement officials, surveillance programs, and unmet promises on utility costs.
Quick Facts
- Trump arrived late to G7 summit final day meeting and declared 'I'm the boss'
- Dozens of children separated under first Trump administration were re-separated despite judge's reunification order
- At least two dozen ICE employees and contractors charged with crimes including abuse and corruption
- U.S. Border Patrol operating secretive surveillance program on millions of American drivers
- Military operations targeting suspected smuggling boats resulted in over 60 deaths since September
US President Donald Trump opened the final day of the G7 summit with a bold declaration of authority, arriving late to the first meeting and announcing to other G7 leaders that 'I'm the boss.' The statement underscored Trump's assertive stance as the summit concluded.
However, Trump's tenure has faced scrutiny on multiple domestic fronts. An Associated Press investigation found that dozens of children separated under the first Trump administration have been re-separated from their families despite a federal judge's order to reunite them. Additionally, the AP found that at least two dozen U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement employees and contractors have been charged with crimes since 2020, with wrongdoing including patterns of physical and sexual abuse, corruption, and other abuses of authority.
Other investigations have raised concerns about Trump administration policies and their impacts. The U.S. Border Patrol has been operating a secretive surveillance program monitoring millions of American drivers nationwide to identify people whose travel patterns it deems suspicious. Furthermore, the Trump administration's military operations targeting suspected smuggling boats have resulted in more than 60 deaths since September, according to AP reporting from Venezuela's Paria Peninsula.
On the domestic economic front, Trump's promises to reduce electricity bills have not materialized. In West Virginia, many residents now face utility costs surpassing their rents and mortgages, a situation exacerbated by the state's reliance on coal-fired power plants. A separate AP investigation also revealed that tough-love boarding schools, traditionally targeting rebellious teenagers, are increasingly focusing on adopted children, who account for an estimated 25-40% of those in residential treatment facilities.
Workplace safety concerns have also emerged at major industrial facilities. Following an August blast at U.S. Steel's Clairton Coke Works, current and former steelworkers expressed concerns that management's investment decisions have left safety and pollution issues unresolved at the plant where operators have little margin for error.
Why This Matters
Trump's emphatic authority claim at the G7 contrasts sharply with mounting documented failures in his administration's core policy areas. For American citizens, these investigations expose failures that directly affect vulnerable populations—separated children, surveilled drivers, and communities facing unaffordable utilities—signaling that institutional checks and accountability mechanisms are under pressure. For policy advocates and oversight bodies, the pattern of ICE misconduct, Border Patrol overreach, and broken promises on utility costs demonstrates systemic governance challenges requiring urgent legislative or judicial attention.
Timeline & Sources
Jun 17, 2026
WireTrump arrives late to final day meeting of G7 summit, declares 'I'm the boss'