February 13, 2026
In the latest “Ian Explains,” Ian Bremmer examines the shift from decades of US-led global leadership to President Trump’s more unilateral “America First” approach. From withdrawing from international agreements to reviving tariffs and allowing key arms control treaties to lapse, the signals suggest Washington is pulling back. But is it?
From forceful action in Venezuela to an explicit doctrine of dominance in the Western Hemisphere, Trump has shown he’s willing to assert American power — just not through the institutions that defined the postwar order. As allies hedge and adversaries like China step into new leadership roles, Bremmer asks whether the United States is retreating from the world, or redefining how it leads it.
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Alina Polyakova, President and CEO of the Center for European Policy Analysis, warns that NATO faces a defining moment.
From the sidelines of the 62nd Munich Security Conference in Munich, Polyakova told GZERO's Tony Maciulis that the Arctic has become “an arena of incredible global competition,” with Russia and China expanding their ambitions. While President Trump’s focus reflects “the right instincts” on security, she argues allies must strike a mutual deal to secure the region together.
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The US government reportedly plans to fund MAGA-aligned groups in Europe. The stated aim is to oppose European laws on online speech.
PA via Reuters Ukraine's Vladyslav Heraskevych, with his helmet, which features pictures of people killed in the war with Russia. Heraskevych was ruled out of the Men's Skeleton event by the International Olympic Committee just over an hour before competition began, pictured at the Cortina Sliding Centre, on day six of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, Italy. Picture date: Thursday February 12, 2026.
20: The number of fallen Ukrainian athletes and coaches depicted on a Ukrainian skeleton racer’s helmet at the Winter Olympics, which prompted the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to disqualify him on Thursday.
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