Introduction
Donald J. Trump’s presidencies—2017 to 2021, and starting January 20, 2025—are a unique, often disruptive and polarising period in US political history. His two terms in office broke with the norm. He used direct media interaction, confrontational speech, and an unyielding “America First” agenda.
Do Trump’s actions show authenticity, decisiveness, and willingness to challenge the Washington establishment? Or, are these signs of narcissism, hubris, unthinking disruption, and potential ethical lapses that have shaped his governance? Let us explore.
Trump’s First Presidency
Behavioural Style
Trump resorted to unfiltered communication, primarily via social media. His posts conveyed policy views, personal grievances, and commentary on real-time events. Some polls during that time reflected that over 60% of Americans perceived Trump as someone who “stood up for his beliefs.”
Yet this style also intensified societal friction. The White Supremacist Charlottesville rally in 2017 prompted Trump to comment “very fine people on both sides”. This ignited national outrage and exemplified how his rhetoric inflamed racial tensions. Afterwards, the George Floyd protests in 2020 exposed major rifts regarding civil rights and policing. Trump’s reactions, like his threat to use military force, sparked heavy disapproval.
Key Policies
Trump’s policies have been both bold and controversial. His unconventional approach has triggered fears of harm to America.
Domestic Policies
The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 was a key domestic action by Trump. This law cut taxes for people and companies. The aim was to motivate business investments, job creation, and economic growth. Before COVID-19, the U.S. economy experienced growth; unemployment dropped to record lows. Yet, the well-off and huge corporations got more benefits from the tax relief than regular workers. The law also increased the national debt by trillions of dollars, sparking concerns regarding inequality and future financial stability.
Trump took a hard line on immigration. He promised to build a wall along the southern border with Mexico to stop illegal immigration. However, he could not realise his initial idea for an unbroken barrier. Trump also tried to end DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals), which protected young immigrants who had been brought to the U.S. illegally as children. Trump’s move earned infamy for its policy of family separations at the border, where children were held apart from their parents in detention centres.
Foreign Policies
Trump followed an “America First” policy. In 2017, he announced the U.S. withdrawal from the Paris Climate Agreement, an international pact aimed at fighting global warming. Trump argued that the deal hurt U.S. businesses and gave unfair advantages to other countries. The choice undermined worldwide attempts to fight climate change and hurt America’s image as a global power.
In 2018, Trump pulled the U.S. out of the Iran Nuclear Deal. The deal, signed under President Obama, had limited Iran’s nuclear program in exchange for lifting sanctions. Trump, however, claimed it was a “bad deal” and reimposed heavy sanctions on Iran. This heightened Middle East tensions and moved Iran nearer to nuclear arms.
Trump’s trade war with China proved to be one of the most transformative actions with uncertain consequences for global trade. He argued that China had exploited the U.S. with inequitable trade. So, to lower America’s trade gap, he applied tariffs to Chinese goods worth hundreds of billions. Trump reasoned that his action would force China to value intellectual property and adjust its industry rules. Instead, China stood its ground and retaliated with tariffs on American goods. This trade war caused disruptions in global supply chains and higher costs for U.S. businesses and consumers.
Psychological Traits
Commentators often use traits like hubris, over-ambition, and impulsivity, to explain Trump’s actions. He frequently disparaged allies—criticising NATO members for “freeloading”—undermining long-standing alliances. He touted successes like the Abraham Accords, brokered normalisation deals between Israel and several Arab states, as Nobel Peace Prize-worthy outcomes. However experts regard them as transactional rather than structurally transformative actions. Trump asserted voter fraud following his 2020 loss, but there was no evidence. Trump allegedly gained from foreign presents. He kept financial connections via a trust overseen by his offspring. This clearly indicated potential conflicts of interest.
Still, this same boldness translated into achievements, too. Cutting regulations caused a brief economic gain, changes in the justice system (like the First Step Act), and more focus on opioid addiction issues.
Trump’s Second Term (2025–Present): Continuity, Evolution, and New Developments
Donald Trump’s second inauguration took place on January 20, 2025. He announced “a revolution of common sense” with vows of big reform. Trump inherited a resilient economy. GDP growth was around 2.5%. There was low unemployment, declining inflation, rising real wages (though not yet surpassing 2020 peaks), record US oil production, and lower illegal border crossings than at the end of his first term.
Executive Actions & Deregulation
Trump’s second term emphasised deregulation as a signature strategy. On January 31, 2025, he signed an executive order mandating a 10-for-1 rule. This meant that for every new regulation, agencies must eliminate ten existing ones. The order tasked the Office of Management and Budget with ensuring net regulatory costs remain negative. In June 2025, the Brookings Institution’s Regulatory Tracker noted large-scale reductions and delays in environmental, health, labour, and related fields.
In global health policy, on January 20, Trump rescinded Biden’s COVID-19 directives. This dismantled the National Security Council’s Global Health Security Directorate. The U.S. government left the WHO, indicating a reduced commitment to global health cooperation.
Foreign Affairs & Nobel Ambitions
Trump’s second term has featured ambitious claims of peace-building. Trump claimed credit for ending six wars. These included Armenia-Azerbaijan, DRC-Rwanda, India-Pakistan, Israel-Iran, Cambodia-Thailand, and Serbia-Kosovo. But fact-checkers question the extent of his role and the durability of these developments. In fact, India has refused to credit Trump with bringing about ceasefire in the Operation Sindoor’s context.
Reportedly, Trump directly lobbied officials in Norway for Nobel Peace Prize consideration, even calling their finance minister—a highly unorthodox move for a sitting U.S. president.
Recent diplomatic efforts include a summit in Alaska with Russian President Putin, though it secured no ceasefire. Instead, Trump pushed for a broader peace framework. Ukrainian President Zelenskyy met him in Washington. He and European leaders pushed for lobbied for security guarantees and inclusion in negotiations.
Domestic Governance & Controversies
The Office of Government Ethics revealed that Trump had bought over 100 million dollars worth of corporate and municipal bonds since taking office. This raises questions about potential conflicts of interest with federal policies. Clearly, he has no qualms about using government power to make money. His actions reflect greed and ethical degradation.
Trump’s pictures, one showing the failed attempt to kill him in 2024, have replaced Obama’s picture in the White House. This action betrays his autocratic nature.
A sweeping campaign against elite universities—Harvard, Johns Hopkins, and others—sought to cut $3.7 billion in federal funding, revoke visas, and punish institutions supporting Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, as well as pro-Palestinian protests.
In Washington, D.C., Trump’s administration initially seized partial federal control over the local police department. This sparked legal and political backlash, forcing him to partially reverse the order under pressure.
Trump’s “I am your voice” post marked the White House’s TikTok debut. But concerns about TikTok’s Chinese ties undermined this youth outreach.
Psychological Observations in Term Two
Many psychological traits evident in Trump’s first term remain in his second term. He continues belittling allies and international norms while claiming outsized peace accomplishments. The push for a Nobel Peace Prize and self-aggrandising imagery in the White House reinforce an enduring need for recognition. Delusional or misleading narratives include assertions about “six wars ended”. His attempts to bend China and Russia to his will betray a delusional trait.
Interestingly, Financial Times columnist Robert Armstrong coined an acronym “TACO" or "Trump Always Chickens Out” to mock the familiar pattern in Trump’s trade policy. He would start with aggressive tariff threats followed by quick reversals when faced with market or diplomatic pressure. Traders would short stocks when Trump issued tariff threats, then buy when he backed down, betting on the rebound. Such trade came to be known as “TACO Trade”. “TACO” related memes and jokes and satires exploded across media and social platforms.
Conclusion
When Donald Trump entered the White House, he promised to rewrite the rules of global politics. He did not see diplomacy as patient negotiation but as hard bargaining. For him, tariffs were weapons, allies were clients, and every handshake was a business deal. There has been a clear pattern of threats, pressure, and one-sided deals that looked less like diplomacy and more like extortion. In 2018, he slapped tariffs on steel and aluminium from the European Union, Canada, and Mexico. He warned the EU that cars would be next unless it offered better trade terms. With China, he launched a massive trade war. The message was unmistakable: yield to Washington or pay the price. These tariffs were less about fair trade and more about using fear to extract concessions.
Trump’s approach was not limited to trade. In 2019, he threatened Mexico with crippling tariffs unless it cracked down on migrants heading north. Mexico quickly deployed troops to its southern border, showing how effective the threat was. NATO allies faced similar pressure. Germany and others were told to increase military spending—or risk the U.S. “going its own way.” Smaller countries like Ukraine and Pakistan faced reports of U.S. interest in mining rights and economic favours, raising suspicion that American support was never free.
Trump’s openness to lavish treatment also blurred boundaries. In Saudi Arabia, he was welcomed with golden medallions, glowing orbs, and royal fanfare. Not long after, the U.S. signed a 110 billion dollar arms deal. While ceremonial gifts are common in diplomacy, Trump’s enthusiasm for luxury raised doubts about whether personal indulgence shaped policy. It made him appear willing to trade loyalty for gold-plated praise.
Extortion means extracting value through threats or pressure. Trump may not have used violence, but he wielded economic pain and political leverage in ways that left countries little choice. Mexico tightened its borders, the EU softened trade rules, NATO allies boosted defense spending, and Ukraine compromised despite insults heaped in its president. This is diplomacy by blackmail—forcing weaker players to give in or suffer.
Donald Trump has divided the world into winners and losers, not partners and allies. It remains a moot point whether he is a bully or an extortionist or a mere TACO. Trump has made international politics look less like diplomacy and more like a boardroom showdown. What would the post-Trump world be like?
Ukraine, Donald Trump, Canada, Mexico, India, Pakistan, China, Russia, Zelenskyy, Putin, America, USA, European Union, DACA, TACO, Tariffs, Tariff War, Washington DC, Joe Biden, COVID 19, WHO, America First, Iran Nuclear Deal, Armenia-Azerbaijan, DRC-Rwanda, India-Pakistan, Israel-Iran, Cambodia-Thailand, Serbia-Kosovo.
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