The world looks vastly different now that it ever has before. It’s hard to imagine a world before COVID-19, before artificial intelligence and even before President Donald Trump stepped into the White House. But if you’ve been paying attention to recent history, then you probably have already noticed that something is just… off.
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The world is more connected than ever before, and that’s not all a good thing either! Between the rise of AI, historic changes to the U.S. government and even climate change, more folks are started to notice a shift in society. If you’re one of them, then here’s 15 creepy ways the world has change in just one year — or all the ways the world has change under Trump 2.0.
Gallup Ending Approval Rating Polls
In the second week of February, Gallup announced it will stop tacking presidential approval ratings after 88 years. While the company said the change “reflects an evolution in how Gallup focuses its public research and thought leadership,” some fear the decision is connected to President Trump’s approval rating steadily declining.
Climate Change
While climate change has remained a pressing issue around the globe, efforts made since Trump took office last year have not helped to slow the problem. A winter storm covered most of the U.S. just last month. In states like Texas and Georgia, where snowfall is abnormal, temperatures reached historic lows as snow and ice washed over the country. Weeks after the ice storms, cities are still trying to clear streets and roads of snow and ice.
$600 Million in Cuts to HIV, STD Prevention
The Trump administration announced it would be cutting Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) grants in states which support HIV and STD prevention and HIV surveillance, according to ABC News. A White House spokesperson told the outlet the $600 million cuts will directly impact California, Colorado, Illinois and Minnesota — all of which have Democrat governors.
The Disappearance of Nancy Guthrie
In recent days, the Trump administration has become fixated on the peculiar disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, the mother of “Today” host Savannah Guthrie. The 84-year-old went missing on Feb. 1, and President Trump has since called on FBI to investigate the matter, PEOPLE reported.
As details continue to come in regarding the case, FBI Director Kash Patel released footage taken from Guthrie’s Nest home camera — which she didn’t even have a subscription for. But due to technological and data advancements, the FBI gained access to door bell footage no one ever knew existed.
Meteors and Fireballs
Hundreds of Indiana residents were shocked to witness a meteor or “fireball” fly over the central skies, according to Fox 59 News. The American Meteor Society reported at least 90 meteor sightings across five states, including in Indiana and Ohio.
“It kind of reminds you that there’s a whole solar system, a whole galaxy out there that is full of stuff,” said Dr. Aarran Shaw, Assistant Professor of Physics and Astronomy at Butler University. “More likely than not, it just completely burned up in the atmosphere.”
Minnesota ICE Shootings
Alex Pretti, an ICE nurse and anti-ICE protestor, was shot and killed by federal immigration agents back in January. Unlike the killing of Renee Good just weeks prior, Pretti’s shooting triggered widespread outage even from Republicans close to Trump. Meanwhile, Democrats continue to apply pressure by refusing to vote on ICE funding— which resulted in a partial government shutdown. Now, boarder czar Tom Homan announced the ICE operation is nearing its end in Minneapolis.
Political Assassinations
Trump’s 2024 assassination attempts marked one of the first in modern history where a president was targeted in public. But even after winning back the Oval Office, political assassinations and attempts on politician’s lives continue to plague the country. The killing of Charlie Kirk, a far-right podcaster, notably sent off shockwave from Democrats and Republicans alike.
The Louvre Heist
On Oct. 19, 2025, thieves broke into the Louvre Museum in Paris and stole at least eight pieces of 19th-century French crown jewels worth $102 million. The four-minute heist during operation hours sent off international alarms Eventually, police tracked down four suspects. They are in custody.
No Kings Protests
Millions of Americans gathered to protest Trump and his administration in a series of “No Kings Day” demonstrations around the country… twice. The first protest coincided with Trump’s birthday celebration/ Military parade back in June. Then, organizers launched a second protest in October.
National Guard Across America
We previously told you Trump has been sending the National Guard to mostly Democrat-led cities in order to fight crime and help with immigration efforts. Troops were deployed in cities like Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, Minneapolis and Memphis. From many Americans, Trump’s deployment marked the first encounter with Guard trrops.
2 Government Shutdowns
We previously told you last year’s government shutdown lasted 43 days as Democrats refused to approve a GOP-led spending bill ending Obamacare substitutes. In the end, eight Democrats folded, but in 2026, the party once again disrupted the government for the sake of the American people.
Following the shocking killing of Americans at the hands of ICE agents, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer announced Democrats would not put up the necessary votes to fund the department responsible. The partial shutdown was brief, although funding for DHA is still at a standstill.
Epstein Files
U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi was called for a congressional hearing after accusations that the Trump administration has not been transparent about the Epstein Files continues to rise. We previously told you the release of the files connected to Jeffrey Epstein were once a campaign promise made by Trump. But after switching tunes but being forced by Congress to drop the millions of documents, the president has conceded.
Negative Net Migration
2025 marked the first time in 50 years that the country has experienced negative net migration. The Brookings Institute reported a significant drop in immigrants coming to the U.S. in 2025. “We estimate net flows of -295,000 to -10,000 for the year,” Brookings reported. “Though a high degree of policy uncertainty remains, continued negative net migration for 2026 is also likely.”
Despite Trump’s promise to rid the country of undocumented immigrants, the Brookings study found the negative number is mostly due to a total drop in migrants coming into the country in the first place and not because Trump is deporting more people. Voluntary self-deportation also played an important role in the figures.
$1 Coin Featuring Trump’s Face
After getting rid of the penny, which featured Abraham Lincoln’s face, Trump proposed his own coin to coincide with the 250th anniversary of the U.S. According to reports, new coins honoring the semiquincentennial began circulating. These coins feature pilgrims, George Washington, Thomas Jefferson and James Madison.
Shockingly—or not so much so—the Trump administration declined to mint other coins honoring civil rights figures, NPR reported. The U.S. Mint is also reportedly considering a $1 coin with the president’s face on it.
Surveillance State?
When Americans tuned into this year’s Super Bowl, they probably saw a commercial from Ring that has the internet talking. In the ad, Amazon’s Ring touted an AI-powered surveillance network that operates through customers’ camera systems. While the ad used the example of the AI system helping to find a lost dog, many folks quickly understood the slippy slope of the alleged “surveillance state” in the country.
This coupled with the FBI’s recent recovering of Guthrie’s Nest camera footage is also raising alarms.
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