The year the government broke

The first crack appeared right before Inauguration Day. In the previous year, It passed Congress overwhelmingly A bill would ban TikTok unless it cuts ties with its Chinese parent company. supreme court He supported it unanimouslyIt was clear what had to happen next: Either the president would give TikTok another 90 days to complete the deal or it would be banned immediately.

But none of these things happened. Outgoing President Joe Biden He opposed the decision For the next president, Donald Trump, and after A Exciting few hours When TikTok went down in the US, it came back with a message of triumph Trump thanked To save it.

Nearly a year and four illegal extensions later, TikTok still exists in the United States, owned by the same Chinese company that lawmakers warned could seriously jeopardize American national security. This was only announced recently He closed the deal to sell its US-based business, with a target closing date of January 22, 2026 – more than a year after it was first banned. The whole ordeal felt like a comedy of errors, which is where it ended up being Everyone raised their hands. Few details are known about the supposed upcoming deal It raises questions about whether she will stick to it With the original law requirements.

The failure to take any action at all against TikTok in the wake of panic over alleged national security risks is just one of many cracks in the federal government’s establishment this year. In March, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth War plans communicated via signal – An encrypted messaging platform but not intended for this use case due to potential security risks on users’ devices – which we only found out about because Trump’s then-national security advisor apparently The editor-in-chief was added by mistake Atlantic For that chat.

There was a record of 43 days Government shutdown Which Threatening access to food For millions of low-income Americans, they ditched air travel In chaos, Space launch stoppedand Consumer delay Products that require regulatory approval. FCC Chairman Brendan Carr was there Naked threat To revoke broadcast licenses over late-night comedian Jimmy Kimmel’s broadcast after he made a joke he found distasteful. There was Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Raids on workplaces Like Home Depot and Amplifier Relocation efforts That pulled law enforcement resources from areas like Investigations related to child exploitation. And then there was the biggest complete break with government in 2025: Elon Musk’s pet project, Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

Should we list the ways DOGE has used the sledgehammer of the federal government? Hundreds of thousands of federal workers Their jobs were eliminated or left after the Trump administration impatiently fired them; He – she The group closed It was once considered the country’s greatest source of soft power, as it provided food and medicine to poor countries. He – she Access to the system Contains millions of Americans’ most sensitive financial information, while Everything except disassembly Consumer Financial Protection Supervision Authority; He – she eviction Technical talent Through several agencies; Taxpayers saved Much less money than he promised while eliminating institutional knowledge; and Reducing funding for medical research It is seen as promoting diversity, equality and inclusion. After all, Musk only considered the project “fairly successful” He said he probably wouldn’t do it again.

Of course, the only real test of a democracy’s capacity is to see how its controls perform when things break down. The TikTok saga shows one example that — at least so far — has gone down badly. Congress has issued lukewarm statements about the executive branch’s unwillingness to enforce the law, but there is no desire to impeach Trump over it, and the judiciary cannot or does not want to force action either. But there have been many other examples where the counterweight of democracy has shown signs of life, and sometimes even courage.

Judges across the country have forcefully struck down and dismissed Trump administration policies that violate the law or the Constitution. Several judges ruled to block Trump’s order Seeking to end birthright citizenshipa ruling against rhetorical gymnastics Justify mass cutsand proceed with the procedures for Holding management officials accountable to For allegedly violating an order To stop transferring deportees to El Salvador. The judge responsible for those contempt proceedings He faced personal backlash from Trump And some Republicans The articles of accusation were filed Against him because of separate rulings, but so far, he’s moving forward.

Even Congress, which has often proven to be a rubber stamp, or a meek critic at best, has sometimes found its voice. Lawmakers from Trump’s own party, Including Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.)They sided with Democrats on mandating the release of information related to the Epstein files. The only case that still haunts the president. Although many Republicans He called for the expulsion or expulsion of Americans Few people criticized conservative activist Charlie Kirk after his murder Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) was repulsed. On efforts like Carr’s Good guys-Threats similar to broadcasters. and, most recently, the House Armed Services Committee To assume its supervisory duties in questioning the chain of events that led to military strikes on a boat that Trump officials claim was illegally carrying drugs from Venezuela.

Then there is the undo Millions of Americans All over the country, who showed up in large numbers in “No Kings” marches., Tesla showrooms protested in The pinnacle of CEO Musk’s power at DOGEand Documented raids and arrests By the bold ICE as the administration launched a mass deportation effort. There were efforts to Fill food banks When SNAP benefits were at risk during the shutdown, while… Former federal workers rushed to help Keeping technicians in the government during the period of comprehensive suspension of wages.

As 2026 approaches, political posturing in the midterm elections is likely to overshadow any real policymaking efforts. And with that will come a slew of messages from politicians promising to fix what’s broken this year, and also promising to break what hasn’t worked for a very long time. Voters will choose who they believe can best put things back together. Only then will we find out how deep the cracks actually are.