Political Storms Could Define 2026: Meloni’s Warning and U.S. Risks That Could Echo Globally

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni offered a stark forecast as 2026 approaches: “The end of 2025 has been difficult for all of us. Don’t worry — next year will be much worse,” she told staff in an end-of-year address reported by ANSA. That grim premise anchors a broader warning: a year of political and economic turbulence that could originate in the United States and ripple across the globe.

Foreign Policy Flashpoints

The column highlights a high-stakes foreign policy move: reports that the United States has decided to deploy military forces toward Venezuela. The piece frames that action as a signal of how U.S. interventions abroad could complicate future efforts to counter Russia in Ukraine or deter Chinese pressure on Taiwan.

Domestic Political Volatility

Domestically, the immediate threat is a potential government shutdown beginning Jan. 30. Political combat is already underway, with President Trump publicly blaming Democrats. At a rally in North Carolina he said, in part, “The problem is that Democrats will shut down the government because they are beholden…to the insurance companies … it’s so simple.”

“The problem is that Democrats will shut down the government because they are beholden…to the insurance companies … it’s so simple,” President Trump told a rally in North Carolina, according to the article.

The column disputes that framing, noting analysts attribute recent spikes in premiums in part to Republican lawmakers and the White House declining to extend subsidies for health plans. The piece also recalls last year’s 43-day shutdown — the longest in modern U.S. history — and suggests President Trump has shown a willingness to embrace the theatrical chaos such fights produce.

Congress: Exodus and Inaction

A wave of congressional departures deepens the alarm: 43 members have announced plans to leave, putting the chamber on track for a 21st-century retirement record, according to C-SPAN and Purdue University data cited by The Washington Post. Lawmakers and analysts point to extreme partisanship as a key reason for the exodus and for low productivity: Congress concluded the year with fewer than 40 bills signed into law, creating a modern-era low for legislative output in a president’s first year.

“The level of partisanship, rancor, vitriolic debate, demonizing the other side…not willing to work across the aisle to get good things done [is exhausting],” Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas) told CNN, as quoted in the column.

Public Sentiment and Economic Worry

The article cites multiple polls to show public unease. A Quinnipiac survey found 54% of respondents believe President Trump is overstepping presidential power, while a December Gallup poll reported 74% of Americans dissatisfied with the country’s direction and 68% saying the economic outlook is worsening. Bankrate data is used to highlight household vulnerability: only 46% of Americans have enough emergency savings to cover three months of expenses, and another 30% have some but not enough.

Midterm Stakes and Political Strategy

Those economic pressures and sour public attitudes create a perilous environment for Republicans heading into the 2026 midterms. A Fabrizio/Ward poll cited in the article put Democrats ahead by seven points on the congressional ballot. The piece recalls that Republicans lost 41 House seats during the 2018 midterms and warns that a new Democratic House majority would limit presidential leverage and could invite renewed oversight or impeachment activity.

To blunt possible losses, Trump has pursued redistricting efforts and plans to marshal his base at the ballot box. White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles said the president will be active "on the campaign trail," prioritizing rallies and voter mobilization over pushing domestic legislation or foreign-policy initiatives.

“[Trump] will be out ‘on the campaign trail,’” Susie Wiles told an interviewer, according to the column.

What This Means Going Into 2026

Combining foreign entanglements, congressional attrition, low legislative output, sharp partisan divisions, and household financial stress, the article argues, sets the stage for a volatile 2026. Prime Minister Meloni’s bleak forecast is used as a cautionary frame: the year ahead could bring intensified political storms at home and abroad.

About The Author: Juan Williams is a senior political analyst for Fox News Channel and a prize-winning civil rights historian. He is the author of "New Prize For These Eyes: The Rise Of America’s Second Civil Rights Movement."