Today marks President Trump (47)’s first 100 days in office. I have been anxiously waiting for this day to assess his Presidency in terms of the good, the bad, and the ugly.
1. President Trump (47): the good
The status quo is simply unacceptable (The Trump phenomenon explained (2)). President Trump (47) has certainly demonstrated his willingness to make big changes. Three prominent examples:
- He secured our southern borders.
- He attempted to stop the war in Ukraine.
- DOGE had a good start.
Grade A.
2. President Trump (47): the bad
Three worrisome “colonial” signs with President Trump:
- Wikipedia – Proposed United States acquisition of Greenland.
- Trump keeps talking about making Canada the 51st state. Is he serious?
- Why Panama Canal is on President Trump’s agenda.
All of them are colonial, if not imperialistic. For more, read Colonial America 1776-2040?
Grade D!
3. President Trump (47): the ugly
Two perspectives:
- Two acts of war
- Two big policy failures.
To briefly elaborate on each …
3.1 Two acts of war
- Trump gave ‘green light’ to Israel before Gaza bombing that left ‘400 dead’.
- Trump has ordered airstrikes against rebels in Yemen. Here is why.
The image below is worth more than 1,000 words.
3.2 Two big policy failures
- Mass deportations without due process: Read US senator returns from El Salvador trip, says Abrego Garcia case is about far more than one man.
- Tariffs: Read Trump’s Absurd Trade Policies Will Impoverish Americans and Harm the World.
The image below is worth more than 1,000 words.
3.3 Summary
Grade F!
4. Discussion
Once again, the status quo is simply unacceptable!
Out of desperation, America took a chance with Donald Trump for the second time. Unfortunately for America, he is likely to fail again, just like he did the first time (Correctly Assessing President Trump (45)).
Worse yet, the antiwar President (45) is likely to turn himself into a warmonger in the coming months, just like all his recent predecessors!
Worst of all, it is the system, stupid! President Trump (47) is likely to become a victim of the system, rather than fundamentally transform it for the better. Specifically, two points:
- Competence in leadership
- Geopolitics.
To briefly highlight each …
4.1 Competence in leadership
For a company or a country built to last, competence in leadership is everything. Democracy is simply not the way to secure competent leadership at any level, let alone at all levels!
4.2 Geopolitics
Internationally, President Trump has once again proven that he is a minor leaguer, incapable of measuring up against the best: Russia’s Putin or China’s Xi (President Trump in the real world of Three New Kingdoms).
Trump vs. Putin, two news stories:
- 2018: Trump sides with Russia against FBI at Helsinki summit.
- 2025: Read the image below!
Here is Putin’s response: Russia Destroys NATO Base in Ukraine-20 Commanders Killed!
Trump vs. Xi, read the image below!
For more, read China rejects Trump claims of Xi Jinping tariff phone call.
5. More discussion
Democracy is a proven failure throughout history without a single example of lasting success (e.g., 200 years).
America has proven to be no exception: Democracy has been failing in America for a long time and Trump has simply made it more obvious.
In other words, a dictator is long overdue for America (Hundreds of scholars say U.S. is swiftly heading toward authoritarianism). Despite all the odds against the reality, I just hoped that President Trump (47) would be a great dictator like China’s Deng (Donald Trump vs. Deng Xiaoping).
Unfortunately for America, it looks more and more unlikely that President Trump (47) would succeed in any way significant enough to fundamentally change America for the better.
Specifically, on China … America’s establishment has been lying about China with impunity for decades. President Trump’s tariff war against China has finally revealed the truth: America needs China more than China needs America! Two informative readings:
- How Trump Lost His Trade War With China.
- Trump’s China Tariffs Set to Unleash Supply Shock on US economy, with shoppers likely to see empty shelves and higher prices. The image below shows the empty shelves inside an oriental food mart in my hometown, with the far worse yet to come for mega-stores like Walmart, Target, and Home Depot!
6. Still more discussion
Tariffs are taxes!
- Trump’s tariffs are not paid by foreigners, but by the importers in America. The importers then pass the paid tariffs along to their customers, contributing to inflation.
- Tax is a prerogative of US Congress, not the President!
President Trump’s tariff wars will prove to be his most consequential mistake, both long-term and short-term. As a result, he will soon have no choice but backing down, or it would be hell for America, as well as the world!
7. Closing
Give President Trump (45 & 47) credit for his willingness to change because the status quo is simply unacceptable!
Change is hard. Even though he has not delivered much (Trump Promised Deals on Ukraine, Gaza and Trade. Delivering has been tough), my overall grade for President Trump (47) is C, a very general grade because I have not given up on him, yet (Why and how did I vote for Trump in 2024?).
America, reform our failing political system, as I have suggested (History 2.0 – China’s Comeback vs. America’s Decline), or become a second fiddle to China!
