By Philip Yeung
Trump the world's no. 1 newsmaker
Trump is a virus. He is everywhere, in every nook and cranny. These days, the headlines are all Trump, all the time, including reactions to his actions. This is Trump's world. The rest of us are just documented immigrants.
Trump the alliance-breaker and disrupter-in-chief
Trump is no respecter of tradition or partnership. Take Canada, its next-door neighbor and closest ally since World War II. All that history means nothing. Its geopolitical status means nothing. Its shared values mean nothing. By a stroke of his pen, Trump has united Canadians from coast to coast against the bully to the south. Five former Canadian prime ministers have signed a joint statement, calling on Canada to defend its independence even at the cost of a high level of damage. Canadians by the planeloads have cancelled their plans of spending their winter vacations in Florida and elsewhere in America. Many swear they won't set foot on American soil for the next four years. The two countries have never witnessed a rift so deep and disruptive. Trump's hostile actions have simplified Canadian politics. Fiercely pro-Canada and anti-America politicians now hold sway. Even Doug Ford the Ontario premier who had unashamedly called himself a 100% Trumper during Trump 1.0 has turned into his loudest critic. There is a tidal wave of patriotism sweeping the country, with Canadians buying local and boycotting American products. Low-key Canadians famous for their blandness have become vocal street fighters. Thanks to Trump, a new nationalist awakening has come to its northern neighbor. And we are nowhere near the end of Trump's first 100 days.
Is the Trump era the end of liberal democracy in America?
But there is predictability in Trump's unpredictable behavior. A lunatic might have taken over the asylum, yet there is a method in his madness. He is an amoral opportunist. Alliances count for nothing. It is always America-first, through and through, in big things and small. It must be fun to be Trump now, with oversight removed and constraints lifted, and all three branches of government at his beck and call. Trump is a dictator in all but name. Before returning to power, Trump's threats were dismissed as the ravings of a lunatic. Now with the power to move the earth's axis, Trump has, true to his word, become a dictator on day one. A worshipper of big money, he has given Elon Musk, the world's richest man, free rein at the new-born Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Musk quickly strikes terror into the hearts of bureaucrats up and down the country. Departments and agencies, including USAID, have been wiped out, and independent oversight committees disbanded. Democracy dies before our very eyes. The US is a liberal democracy no more.
For the ultra-powerful, the outrageous becomes a trademark of their power and privilege. Even their unconstitutional behavior turns into acts of political courage. Never in the history of the American Republic has there been a president this close to being an anointed emperor. Or I should say, never has a criminal and sinner enjoyed such god-like powers.
Europe is the next target
The Europeans are next in Trump's crosshairs. They are bracing for punishing tariffs and a sharp spike in military spending. On Ukraine, he views it simply as a US-Russia-Ukraine thing. The EU has been sidelined and won't likely be invited to the table. Europe is waiting with bated breath for Trump's next move. Its leaders are either trembling in their boots or preparing for revenge and retaliation. Trump is in the driver's seat.
Opportunities lurking for China
On China, Trump is surprisingly treating her with kid gloves, gingerly imposing tariffs well below that of close US allies. In his guts, he knows that no fundamental global change is possible without China being in the equation. For its part, China is responding with restraint, leaving room for negotiations. This is a delicate dance of the giants. Uncharacteristically, Trump is treading with circumspection.
America-first unilateralism has reshuffled the geopolitical deck. Trump has breathed new life into nationalism across the world. Opportunities lurk in this changed political landscape, as countries reassess the value of their US alliance. Liberal democracies no longer feel they share the same pillow with their estranged US partner. Will China replace America as their new semi-affectionate political bedfellow? Time will tell.
Read more articles by Philip Yeung:
Opinion | Trump 2.0: Hopes, fears, and a basket of surprises
Opinion | TikTok runs down the clock
Opinion | Apocalypse comes to America--LA fires make America hot again
Opinion | In the Trump era, how can China disarm Western hostility
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