Why it feels like Donald Trump is already in charge

He has let nations know he will redo how the US engages with the world

- Bhagyashree Garekar

WASHINGTON - This weekend will find Donald Trump beaming into cameras as he stands next to French President Emmanuel Macron to celebrate the reopening of the historical Notre-Dame Cathedral five years after it was ravaged by a fire.

One month after being elected president and six weeks from taking the oath of office, it feels like America's 47th president is already in charge.

Mr Macron is the latest in a line of leaders wanting the attention of the man who has put nations on notice that he wants to redo how the US engages with the world.

On Nov 29, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau dropped in for dinner at Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida. He flew in four days after Trump threatened to impose a 25 per cent tariff on imports from Canada and Mexico if they do not stop the flow of illegal migrants and fentanyl across the border.

Data says less than 1 per cent of migrants and just 0.2 per cent of fentanyl enter the US via Canada, but Ottawa lost no time in pledging it would deploy additional drones, helicopters and border agents to soothe Trump's worries.

Economists say tariffs imposed by Canada's largest trading partner could cause a recession.

Over a banquet of crab cocktail and oysters, Mr Trudeau remonstrated that the tariffs would "kill" the Canadian economy.

According to Fox News, Trump responded by asking: "So your country can't survive unless it is ripping off the US to the tune of $100 billion (S$135 billion)?"

He then suggested that Canada could become the 51st US state, which caused the Prime Minister and others to laugh nervously, the conservative TV channel reported.

A senior member of Mr Trudeau's Cabinet clarified to the media on Dec 3 that Trump was only joking.