Over the past few years, global leaders have been closely scrutinized by the public, largely due to the self-interests of each government. This has resulted in their personal lives being investigated and headlined in nations across the globe. Leaders like President Donald Trump, President Emmanuel Macron, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy have made “controversial” decisions, prompting independent news sources to uncover previously unknown and hidden aspects of their lives.
President Trump declared in February of 2025 that the full release of the Epstein files would be available to the public. In May of 2025, he withdrew this statement, stating in a press release, “Are you still talking about Jeffrey Epstein?…people are still talking about this guy, this creep?” (Public Broadcasting Service) Monte Vista students have raised questions about the President’s sudden withdrawal, as images of President Trump and the late Jeffrey Epstein circulate mainstream and independent media alike. “What Epstein did was unforgivable. And if we…are condoning this behavior…and allowing Trump,
who has noticeable connections to Epstein…what are we doing about the protection of women and children across this country?” An anonymous student shares. In 2024, Trump explicit
ly stated he was running on a campaign of “full transparency.” One of the first executive orders he signed just days after joining the White House was the full declassification of the Epstein files. Testimonies of Epstein accusers and survivors share how they witnessed Trump frequenting his estate. A woman by the name of Maria Farmer recalls on CNN being “stared down” by the President in 1995, while she worked as Epstein’s art collector. President Trump, in the same May press release, stated America had “more important things to worry about” (PBS) after stating in February that “Americans have waited for these [files] for a long time now.” (The White House)
For the past two years, French journalists have investigated President Macron’s early life and years, along with the first lady, Brigitte Macron. The investigation, done by Xavier Poussard, a French forensic scientist, has aired on stations globally. The president has opened a lawsuit against American podcaster Candace Owens for reviewing the forensic data and stating that First Lady Macron is a biological male 24 years his senior, and allegedly a blood relative of President Macron. Although Owens’ podcast series has been ongoing, President Macron recently filed the lawsuit without informing Owens. She states that she found out about this “obvious, desperate public relations strategy” (British Broadcasting Corporation) after Macron had already taken news of the lawsuit to mainstream media. Owens added in a review of this case that Brigitte Macron was “The first sitting, first lady of a country to file a lawsuit against a journalist of another country.” The Macrons have previously lost a defamation lawsuit accusing two French investigators of falsehood, regarding their research on Brigitte Macron’s true identity.
Prime Minister Netanyahu has continued strikes in Gaza for nearly two years, where UNICEF reports over 50,000 children have been killed or injured by Israel. In March of 2025, a ceasefire agreement was broken after numerous strikes and a total blockade of food and supplies, enforced under Netanyahu’s orders. These actions have been publicized by human rights organizations like the United Nations, Doctors Without Borders, and 250 others. Netanyahu was prime minister from 1996-1999 and 2009-2021 (12 years) after he claimed there was a series of “inconclusive elections.” (Reuters) Subsequently, Netanyahu received his first corruption charge in 2019 and has amassed two more since then (Al Jazeera). He was accused of bribery and fraud in order to gain political favors. Since then, his trial has been postponed 13 times, including once right before October 7th. His most recent appeal to the Jerusalem court was in June 2025, allegedly stating he didn’t have time to prepare as a result of the ongoing global conflict. In October of 2023, the Times of Israel stated Netanyahu was facing mounting pressure from the public to resign or be removed by force.
The Russian-Ukrainian war has been ongoing for 3 years, with an end in sight if the Donbas region is negotiated (New York Times). President Zelenskyy has been criticized for his handling of the Ukrainian situation and the prolongation of this war. “When it came to war…he messed up.” Alex Inhatiuk, a sophomore states. “A lot of people think there was a way…to avoid war, but he was fighting for the land, he didn’t want to give it Russia.” Jeffrey Sachs, economist and professor at Columbia University, states that Russia, Germany, and the U.S. agreed that NATO wouldn’t expand eastward, towards Ukraine. In 1994, President Bill Clinton announced the expansion despite legal records agreeing otherwise. If put to fruition, Russia would be militarily surrounded by the Black Sea. Recently, Monte Vista students have been more critical of Zelenskyy and his current rapport with the U.S.-backed NATO, as a potential agent for prolonging the war. “War started in 2014, but it wasn’t…official. He was trying to fight Russia for this [land].” Inhatiuk states.
After observing the current political climate, students at Monte Vista have raised questions about these leaders. “What are we teaching the young kids of this generation? What are…our new norms? Should we accept this, overlook it, let it be, or should we start taking a stand?” An anonymous student shares. Many accusations against these leaders have been confirmed by mainstream media after passing through independent journalists. Students are left to ponder what conclusions can be drawn from leaders’ public actions, given their private ones.
