A short view into the past, and a longer one into the future
Dear reader,
By the time you read this, Donald Trump would have completed 100 days as the US President. This is, of course, not his first stint in the big seat — but most certainly, this is the more remarkable one. In fact, Trump's 100 days as the most powerful person in the world might be more consequential than any other leader in recent history. When he took oath on 20 January, Trump had two clear focus areas: global trade and domestic deregulation. And he's overhauled all of it. | Image by Vikas Singh Bisht. | Instead of your regular edition of Top of the Morning , we're bringing you a special edition that revolves around Donald Trump's century in the White House. Strap in. He brought global leaders to their knees as the protector of the free economy by suddenly deciding to impose tariffs on every country (barring Russia!) After an initial threat, Trump decided to pause the imposition for 90 days, giving his counterparts exactly three months to acquiesce or bear the brunt. Much like most other countries, India too got into a huddle with the US to thrash out a trade deal. Jaishankar, India's external affairs minister, was present at Trump's inauguration as the POTUS. The Vice President, J.D. Vance, was in India just last week — although that trip was said to be more culturally significant, as opposed to diplomatic. | Domestically, Trump has killed "big government" by introducing DOGE, or the Department of Government Efficiency. Hundreds of thousands of layoffs ensued, followed by a cut in federal funding. If you were dependent on the US government for curing cancer or housing old folks, find an alternative source: Trump was cutting you off. Even big names like Harvard and Columbia Universities were not spared by Trump. Elon Musk is having a turbulent time as the head of DOGE, stemming from his experience in decimating Twitter's workforce. Musk continues to wield significant influence over Trump and his decision-making. PM Narendra Modi's official visit to the White House involved him playing with Musk's kids. While minimising the government's headcount, Trump also wants to maximise his country's resources. He has spoken often about annexing Greenland and Canada, often referring to the latter as the "51st state". | What's next? While the past is usually history, Trump's biggest achievement has probably been to play with time. His speeches, social media posts, and even executive orders seem extremely fluid. They are ready to be rolled out and taken back at a moment's notice. Trade deals will headline the next few months. As the 90-day deadline rolls closer, more countries will be eager to strike a deal with the US. Trump says he wants to "reorder global trade", but the US is already feeling uneasy about his threats. The next big item on the POTUS's agenda will be to end the Russia-Ukraine war. On multiple counts, Trump has shown that he is tired of this war and its global effects. He is likely to push the entirety of his foreign affairs' team to end the war, even if the terms look hasty. For now, Trump will kick off the near future with international trips. He is slated to visit Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE in May. Trips to the UK and Italy beckon later in the year. Perhaps a trip to India might be on the cards, too, but no official confirmation is provided yet. | Best, Shashwat Mohanty Editor, Newsletters and Audiences HT-Mint | Edited by Alokesh Bhattacharyya. Feel free to send any feedback by replying to this mail, or writing in to shashwat.mohanty@htdigital.in. | | | |
