
Trump’s deeds may not have the same bite as his plans

Summary
- Trump may have become the president for the second time but at heart, he’s a businessman—someone who wants to extract a “good deal” from the opponent for himself and his country.
Donald Trump will take the oath today as the US president for his second term. Never in US history has a presidency raised such concerns as this time. So, how will the new term impact the US and the world?
Let’s revisit Trump’s last tenure as US president that started 20 January 2017 to gain some insights. Trump succeeded Barak Obama in the Oval Office, after winning on a campaign for radically strict anti-immigration policy and big-ticket reforms.
Stiff challenges notwithstanding, he pushed through a comprehensive tax reform programme within 100 days of assuming office. It was enough to retain his popularity, with surveys suggesting 90% of his supporters were ready to vote for him again even when many of his poll promises were still hanging fire.
Trump was an anathema for the liberals. They all heaved a sigh of relief when he lost in 2020. But experts cautioned Trump may have left the Oval Office but Trumpism was still alive and kicking.
They were proven right as Trump refused to accept his defeat. His supporters stormed the Capitol Hill for a few hours. It’s Trumpism’s overwhelming power that has brushed aside the dark shadow of the anarchy within just four years. But, there’s a world of difference between January 2017 and 2025.
Read more: Trump’s shake-up of world trade: Much ado about nothing?
US forces then were shedding blood for an elusive goal in a foreign land. Today a debilitating war in East Europe is underway thanks to Pentagon’s funding. The Gaza war, too, was raging till a week ago. News of a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas splashed across media just a day before Joe Biden gave his last speech as US president. People took to the streets in jubilation. But that same night Israel killed more than 70 Gazans in an air raid. However, two days later the Israeli war cabinet voted for a ceasefire to end a 460-day-long bloody conflict. But will peace last? The world is caught between the constant threat of economic slowdown and the spectre of a nuclear war.
Washington was once synonymous with global policing, but China’s rise, the Russian attack on Ukraine, the tentative truce being negotiated in Gaza, and new currencies chipping away at dollar ’s dominance have created complex new challenges. The situation demands statesman-like maturity by the new ruling dispensation but instead of calming frayed global nerves, Trump is creating confusion and chaos.
He’s the first US president to have released a map even before assuming office. The map shows Canada as the 51st state of the US. The US also wants Greenland for environmental reasons and the Panama Canal to put economic concerns to rest. His outlandish claims have evoked understandably strong reactions from these countries.
His actions are in gross violation of the UN charter on maintaining the borders and suzerainty of every country. Till now the US was considered the patron of these declarations. But, it now seems to join the growing trend of leaders globally feeding their expansionist and totalitarian impulses behind the garb of democracy.
Trump is entering the office with a threat to impose an extra 10% tariff on Chinese goods. If he carries out his threat, it will have a global impact. The US is China’s biggest importer. The tariffs will have a major impact on the Chinese economy which can rattle the global markets.
Read more: Can Donald Trump really weaken the dollar to enhance US trade competitiveness?
Trump believes that the US, suffering from an unprecedented budget deficit, will benefit from these tariffs. But things may not pan out the way he wishes.
Donald Trump is also the first US president indicted in a sexual misconduct case just before he assumed office. He won’t go to jail due to legal technicalities, but public life and probity go hand in hand. It seems we are condemned to witness the rise of such leaders for some time to come.
Trump’s new friend Elon Musk is busy ruffling feathers. His comments on the long-standing strategic partners have been creating a lot of furore. People wonder if he has Trump’s backing.
However, one must not think Trump’s bombast portends doomsday. Even his trenchant critics agree Trump’s over-the-top behaviour is meant to hog the limelight and secure a better deal for himself from his opponents. He may have become the president for the second time but at heart, he’s a businessman—someone who wants to extract a “good deal" from the opponent for himself and his country. It’s no surprise both his supporters and critics are awaiting his initial decisions. They will not only set the tone and tenor for the Trump 2.0 administration but carve, create and curate the future of the globe.
Shashi Shekhar is editor-in-chief, Hindustan. Views are personal.