Trump reshapes world order in a breathless year

A YEAR ago, newly sworn-in President Donald Trump announced in his inaugural address that the “golden age of America begins right now”.

- By Sarah Elliott

President Donald Trump has instigated dramatic change in the past 12 months

From that moment, he instituted a “shock and awe” strategy of steering the country hard to the political Right.Having experienced the first Trump administration, the world thought it was prepared, but it did not expect what followed...

On Trump’s first day, he signed 26 executive orders to create US energy independence, end DEI policies, undertake major civil service reform and secure America's border.

What presidents usually pursue over the course of four years, Trump has attempted in just one.

With his political comeback secured, he was ready to remake America into the Make America Great Again dream of his first term.

His loyal team shot out of the gate with the confidence of veterans, knowing they were making history.

Domestically, Trump’s first focus was to close the southern border. Eight million illegal immigrants had crossed into the US in the previous four years, averaging 155,000 encounters per month.

By the summer, the encounters were below 100.

Through an executive order, he labelled drug cartels terrorists and ICE — the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement — started deporting them, while US forces launched lethal boat strikes against smugglers in the renamed Gulf of America.