Trump’s First 100 Days: Brazen moves and global tensions
During the first hundred days of his second term, US president Donald Trump has dominated international headlines. His attempts at rapprochement with Russia, growing rifts within the transatlantic alliance and controversial plans in the Middle East have sparked both praise and alarm. While Trump aims for a Nobel Peace Prize, he also stokes potential conflicts over the Panama Canal and Greenland.
Stalemate in Ukraine
Trump has so far failed to deliver on his promise to end the war in Ukraine “within 24 hours.” Despite multiple mediation attempts, Russia has shown little willingness to compromise. Trump instead pressured Ukraine to accept a temporary truce. In early March, he paused all military aid until Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky agreed to a 30-day ceasefire. Russia has since rejected the deal and added new conditions.
A new US peace proposal reportedly includes recognition of Russia’s control over Crimea and large swaths of eastern Ukraine, terms Zelensky firmly opposes.
The suspension of aid followed a tense White House meeting between Trump and Zelensky, during which vice president JD Vance asked whether Zelensky had ever said “thank you.” Trump accused Zelensky of being disrespectful “in front of journalists and cameras.”
The meeting was also meant to finalise a raw materials deal as a form of compensation for past US support. However, the agreement (and a request for American security guarantees) was postponed. A revised version reportedly aims to give the US control over future Ukrainian infrastructure and raw materials investments.
US-Russia relations
Trump's approach has created unease in Kyiv, where officials view his willingness to accommodate Russian demands with suspicion. Russian proposals for a peace deal include the formal annexation of four Ukrainian provinces. An outcome that Ukraine has said is unacceptable. Despite brief ceasefires, attacks on civilians have continued.
Meanwhile, Trump has opened multiple channels with Moscow. In addition to calls with president Vladimir Putin, secretary of state Marco Rubio and special envoy Steve Witkoff have held direct talks with Russian officials
Trump and Zelensky had a short but high-profile meeting at the funeral of Pope Francis in Vatican City. Though the conversation was brief, Trump later adopted a more confrontational tone toward Putin.
Vance, speaking at the Munich Security Conference, widened the rift with Europe by criticising "censorship" and "mass migration" on the continent. European commentators saw his remarks as confirmation of the US and Europe drifting further apart.
Trump’s pivot toward Russia and criticism of NATO, in turn, helped galvanise the European Union. In response, the EU launched an 800 billion EUR defence plan.
Middle East turmoil
In early February, Trump floated a plan to place Gaza under US control, proposing to transform the war-torn area into a “Middle Eastern Riviera” by resettling its 2.4 million inhabitants in Jordan and Egypt. Egypt countered with a 53 billion USD reconstruction plan.
Trump also circulated a bizarre AI-generated video portraying Gaza as a luxury resort, complete with a golden statue of himself. A fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas collapsed the day after Trump’s inauguration, and Israel resumed its offensive, pushing the Palestinian death toll beyond 50,000. Washington, with Egyptian mediators, is now working on another ceasefire to secure the release of remaining hostages.
Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu was the first foreign leader to visit Trump in his new term, highlighting the continued strength of the US-Israel alliance.
Renewed tensions with Iran and China
Earlier this month, Trump reopened negotiations with Iran on a new nuclear agreement. He warned Tehran to abandon its nuclear ambitions or face American strikes on military and nuclear facilities. In 2018, Trump withdrew from the original deal and reinstated sanctions.
Meanwhile, Trump continues to press for American control over strategic regions like Greenland and the Panama Canal. While Greenland remains resistant, Panama recently agreed to allow US troops near the canal's access zones. Rubio has framed these moves as countermeasures against Chinese influence in the Arctic and Latin America.
Tariffs
Trump’s return to aggressive tariffs has strained US-EU relations. New levies on European steel, cars and wine have sparked a backlash in Brussels and could fuel a transatlantic trade war. The EU is already working on countermeasures to reduce reliance on US trade.
Consequences domestically
Domestically in the US, Trump’s long-promised deportation crackdown went into full force, creating panic in the immigrant community. He also signed an executive order ending birthright citizenship for children of undocumented migrants, triggering a constitutional showdown currently before the Supreme Court.
Meanwhile, Elon Musk has been handed control of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), slashing tens of thousands of civil service jobs. USAID was dismantled overnight, its global aid budget cut by over 90 per cent. All federal Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) programmes were scrapped, and non-compliant universities, such as Harvard, saw funding frozen.
Trump has shown little interest in multilateral diplomacy. On inauguration day, he withdrew the US from the World Health Organization, the Paris Climate Agreement and the UN Human Rights Council. Under his "peace through strength" doctrine, Trump insists that the UN should limit itself to maintaining global peace and security, but strictly on American terms.
US president Donald Trump signs an executive order in the Oval Office. © PHOTO SAUL LOEB / AFP
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