Trump Upends Washington With Chaos & Consternation

Trump's Sweeping Overhaul of the Federal Government, Volatile Economic Policies, and Erratic Foreign Relations Have Already Created Considerable Anxiety and Uncertainty.

- Frank F Islam

It's been just over one month since Donald J. Trump returned to Washington to create a state of chaos and consternation. Each day has brought a fresh shock, whether in gutting the federal bureaucracy, undermining international institutions, alienating key allies, or upending long-established norms. Even Trump's congressional allies have been caught off guard by the scale and speed of the disruptions. His campaign promises, bold as they were, have been eclipsed by the sheer force of his political and policy blitz, leaving critics as well as some supporters of the president scrambling to assess the long-term consequences, both domestically and internationally.

Even before taking office, Trump sparked controversy with his cabinet nominations, many of whom faced criticism for lacking experience or holding extreme views. After being sworn in, he wasted no time executing his agenda, launching a sweeping immigration crackdown and announcing hefty tariffs on Canada and Mexico, two of America's biggest trading partners.

Foreign policy has seen a similar upheaval. Within weeks, Trump announced plans to seize and occupy Gaza, effectively abandoned Ukraine and its embattled president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and cosied up to Russian President Vladimir Putin. Notably absent from his rhetoric was the tough-on-China stance he championed on the campaign trail. Meanwhile, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, once seen as a rising foreign policy voice in the Senate, has been relegated to the sidelines, with apparently little influence in an administration driven by Trump's instincts.