The Trump second term has dramatically reshaped the global and domestic landscape in just 100 days. Across Europe, countries scramble to rearm, bracing for what might follow his cold stance on Ukraine. In Asia, supply chain strategies hang in limbo, while Latin American migration slows under stricter U.S. policies. Even inside the United States, institutions—from Wall Street to federal agencies—feel the tremors.
Donald Trump, meanwhile, seems more at ease than ever. “He is more relaxed,” says Andrew Weiss, a former Trump Organization executive. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt claims the president has already secured the border and is ending inflation—though that progress is widely disputed.
Trump’s early momentum shouldn’t surprise anyone familiar with his history. Since the 1980s, he has held clear views on issues like trade, defense, and immigration. In 1988, he dismissed Japan’s trade policy: “It’s not free trade.” That same decade, he insisted U.S. allies must pay more for defense and argued that America wouldn’t become a majority-minority nation.
These long-standing beliefs now drive national and international policy. “These are fundamental things that he’s believed for 30 to 40 years,” says Gordon Sondland, Trump’s former ambassador to the EU. He described the start of the Trump second term as “shock and awe.”
In choosing his team, Trump leaned heavily on billionaires. Elon Musk, the world’s richest man and Trump’s top donor, became a special government employee. The role allows him to keep his assets while officially advising the administration. Musk now leads a newly formed Department of Government Efficiency.
Not all appointments match qualifications. Critics question whether many of the 10 billionaires in key roles were selected for their expertise or wealth. Still, Musk’s assignment to slash government spending appeals to Trump’s instincts.
Nicholas Ribis, a longtime Trump associate, doubts the president’s concern for fiscal responsibility. “He has the money—why pay it off?” Ribis recalls. Rather than balancing the budget, Trump moved quickly to eliminate oversight bodies. He fired multiple inspectors general and defunded USAID. Education policy also faces a major shake-up under Linda McMahon, who called her agency’s downsizing the “final mission.”
On foreign policy, Trump reignited controversy during a February meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. He conditioned military aid on a partnership for rare-earth minerals, echoing his first-term request for political favors. Back then, his push to investigate Joe Biden’s son led to impeachment. This time, few objected publicly.
“Classic Trump,” says Sondland. “He wants to set the agenda.” Their first meeting in 1988 still resonates with Sondland. Trump barely noticed him—until he appeared beside a prominent governor. That’s how Trump operates: value follows status. “It’s transactional,” Sondland explains. When judging foreign nations, Trump prioritizes nuclear capability above all.
March saw Trump unleash a global trade war. Learning from his first term, he bypassed Congress by invoking national security to impose tariffs. Courts upheld the move, allowing him to expand the strategy. Former Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross admits the administration’s “reciprocal” tariff logic doesn’t add up. But branding it effectively helped Trump rally support.
Markets continue to react wildly to the new economic policies. While allies praise Trump’s salesmanship, others question the lack of long-term vision. “Is there an endgame?” Ross asks. “And if there is, what does the world look like?”
The Trump second term has brought disruption and unpredictability. From billionaire appointments and deregulation to volatile diplomacy and bold tariffs, Trump commands the global narrative once again. Whether this phase leads to clarity or chaos will unfold in the days ahead.
