Trump’s first 100 Days: disrupting global norms, challenging U.S. democracy

The first 100 days of Donald Trump’s second presidency, starting 20 January and ending 29 April, have been marked by aggressive policy moves and significant controversy, setting the stage for potential political repercussions in the 2026 midterm elections.

In less that 100 days, Trump has unleashed a whirlwind of policies reshaping global relations. His aggressive “America First” agenda—marked by sweeping tariffs, slashed foreign aid, and expansionist rhetoric—has rattled allies and emboldened adversaries, raising questions about the future of U.S. leadership.

Trump’s trade war, with 145% tariffs on China, has disrupted markets, weakened the US dollar, and fueled fears of global recession. The S&P 500 had lost 15% of its value since Inauguration Day. His tariffs, called “medicine”, lack clear objectives, leaving allies and markets guessing.

“We may be headed for [a] serious financial crisis wholly induced by U.S. government tariff policy,” posted on X Lawrence H. Summers, a former treasuere secretary. The S&P 500 has slid 8%, marking the worst presidential start in decades. Yet, Trump calls tariffs “medicine” for U.S. workers, even as allies scramble to negotiate exemptions.

Foreign policy has also taken a sharp turn. Trump’s pressure on Ukraine to cede territory to Russia, coupled with a warmer rethoric toward Vladimir Putin, has alarmed NATO. The US president also told TIME that “Crimea will stay with Russia.”

A heated February Oval Office clash with Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy underscored the shift. Trump’s NATO critiques, accusing allies of freeloading, have deepened transatlantic unease. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz warned of an “America Alone” mindset, signaling strained ties.

Expansionist talk has further unnerved partners. Trump’s calls to annex Greenland, retake the Panama Canal, and absorb Canada as the 51st state have drawn sharp rebukes.

Denmark’s Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen called it an attack on transatlantic trust.

His proposal to transform Gaza into a Riviera-style resort has raised fears of emboldening China’s Taiwan ambitions. “

Amid escalating economic tensions between the U.S. and China, countries worldwide are increasingly pressured to align with either power. Some analysts say Trump may be seeking to resurrect a Cold War-style global structure in which big powers carve up geographic spheres of influence.

President Trump’s imposition of steep tariffs on Chinese imports and significant duties on other nations has sparked global economic disruption, forcing allies to reassess their alliances.

At home, Trump’s immigration crackdown has ignited controversy. Invoking wartime powers, he’s deported Venezuelans to El Salvador’s notorious CECOT prison, defying court orders.

A mistaken deportation of a Maryland man drew outrage.

Additionally, Trump’s use of wartime powers for deportations has sparked more than 170 lawsuits, testing the limits of judicial oversight. Courts have issued over 100 rulings against his actions, with 139 executive orders—nearing Biden’s four-year total—facing legal battles.

Domestic critics point to democratic backsliding. Trump’s attacks on judges and pressure on universities have fueled unease.

According to Fox’s News poll, with 44% approving of his job performance while 55% disagreed.

His Cabinet, stacked with energy and banking titans, faces conflict-of-interest scrutiny as ethics rules are dismantled, enabling revolving-door politics.

Allies are adapting. The EU is preparing retaliatory tariffs, with 26 of the bloc’s 27 member states voted to impose “rebalancing” duties of between 10-25% on a range of American products.

Similarly, Canada reeling from tariff hits and election backlash, pivots toward Europe.

South Korea debates nuclear armament as Trump threatens troop withdrawals, and Japan scrambles to counter trade shocks.

Trump’s team defends his record, and criticized Biden’s policies as ineffective, calling his leadership “feckless”, particularly in areas like immigration and foreign policy. They highlight efforts to curb fentanyl, by crackwing down on fentalyn smugglers and securing the US-Mexico border.

“You know, I’d like to end the drug epidemic, if that’s okay,” Trump said.

The White House claims Trump is pushing Ukraine-Russia talks and called for Ukraine and Russia to meet for “very high level talks.”

But more than half of Americans, including one in five Republicans, think Trump is “too closely aligned” with Russia.

He also reimposred pressure on Iran aiming to drive oil exports to zero. Trump has accused former President Joe Biden of failing to rigorously enforce oil-export sanctions, which Trump says emboldened Tehran by allowing it to sell oil to fund a nuclear weapons program and armed militias in the Middle East.

Yet, analysts warn of lasting damage. “Trump’s radical approach is more disruptive than his first term,” said Elliott Abrams, a former Republican official. Dennis Ross, a veteran diplomat, added, “It’s not beyond repair, but the scars will linger.”

The global system—built on free trade and territorial integrity—faces an uncertain future. Trump’s transactional lens, viewing alliances like real estate deals, has allies rethinking decades-old partnerships. If he stays the course, the next U.S. president may struggle to restore Washington’s role as a global guarantor. For now, the world watches, wary of what comes next.

Historically, the president’s party loses seats in midterm elections. Past presidents like Clinton, Bush, and Obama saw significant approval drops by September of their first year, and Trump’s current trajectory suggests similar or worse declines.

If Democrats regain control of Congress, they could block Trump’s legislative agenda and launch investigations, potentially paralysing his presidency.

Sources: Reuters, NPR, The New York Times, The Washington Post, TIME, POLITICO, AP, edited by P.P.P.