Once upon a time, Trump stood arm in arm with Elon Musk, SpaceX mastermind, MAGA vocalist, and the multi-billionaire backbone of his re-election campaign. The pair blossomed as Trump appointed Musk head of his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Their governmental partnership was short-lived, however, ending abruptly when Musk’s personal finances suffered a $50bn blow following Trump’s April ‘Liberation Day’ tariffs. Imposing levies ranging from 10-50 per cent on 92 countries, including the EU, Trump’s wave of miscalculated protectionism lay in suspension for 90 days following a tumultuous hit to the US and global stock markets. The S&P 500 experienced its second biggest drop in history, estimated at over 12 per cent, and Trump’s momentary backtrack did not remedy the CEOs’ losses. Musk promptly resigned from DOGE and has since largely dropped off the Trump social scene. Extreme protectionism, it seems, doesn’t protect Trump from falling out with his billionaire posse.
That doesn’t mean, however, that Trump lacks an inner circle. A united executive branch has been instrumental in allowing Trump to enact his radical domestic and foreign policy over the past year. While his first term saw a mass exodus of almost half of his Cabinet, his second has been largely calmer. Carefully selected Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent are the holy trinity upholding his MAGA agenda.
A Cabinet stronghold, however, did not prevent Trump’s policies from bringing his party to the verge of fracture. The recent capture of ex-Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, carried out without the permission of Congress, appeared to be a step too far in the direction of despotism. Prioritising an oil-seeking agenda over his party’s best interests triggered five Republican senators to vote in favour of a war powers resolution, which would limit Trump’s military influence in Venezuela. Though unsuccessful, the defection reveals that Trump’s erratic actions risk isolating him from his own party.
Driving away his once-loyal compatriot and stabbing his own party in the back to pursue a personal agenda marks Trump less as an elected President and more as a Machiavellian villain. Either way, it is clear that his intentions are short-term. While he may tantalisingly suggest running for a third term, saying there are “methods” which would allow him to do so, bypassing the American Constitution in such a way would compromise the nation’s key values of liberty. Adding such fuel to fire, at a time when Americans are already witnessing ICE running rampant and the US is on the verge of colonising Greenland, would be a risky move.
For the time being, Trump remains elusive about his intentions. If, uncharacteristically, he chooses to play by the book, come 2029, he will retire to Mar-a-Lago, leaving behind an undesirable legacy. Whichever president succeeds him will have to deal with a socioeconomic landscape corrupted by his policy experiments, with international relations in tatters. Meanwhile, he will, like many, retire to his compound under the Floridian sun. Unlike them, however, he will spend his final years playing golf with fond memories of his last hurrah as President of the United States.
“Donald Trump Laconia Rally, Laconia, NH by Michael Vadon July 16 2015” by Michael Vadon is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.
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The Trump Renaissance: Divide or Conquer?
Once upon a time, Trump stood arm in arm with Elon Musk, SpaceX mastermind, MAGA vocalist, and the multi-billionaire backbone of his re-election campaign. The pair blossomed as Trump appointed Musk head of his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Their governmental partnership was short-lived, however, ending abruptly when Musk’s personal finances suffered a $50bn blow following Trump’s April ‘Liberation Day’ tariffs. Imposing levies ranging from 10-50 per cent on 92 countries, including the EU, Trump’s wave of miscalculated protectionism lay in suspension for 90 days following a tumultuous hit to the US and global stock markets. The S&P 500 experienced its second biggest drop in history, estimated at over 12 per cent, and Trump’s momentary backtrack did not remedy the CEOs’ losses. Musk promptly resigned from DOGE and has since largely dropped off the Trump social scene. Extreme protectionism, it seems, doesn’t protect Trump from falling out with his billionaire posse.
That doesn’t mean, however, that Trump lacks an inner circle. A united executive branch has been instrumental in allowing Trump to enact his radical domestic and foreign policy over the past year. While his first term saw a mass exodus of almost half of his Cabinet, his second has been largely calmer. Carefully selected Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent are the holy trinity upholding his MAGA agenda.
A Cabinet stronghold, however, did not prevent Trump’s policies from bringing his party to the verge of fracture. The recent capture of ex-Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, carried out without the permission of Congress, appeared to be a step too far in the direction of despotism. Prioritising an oil-seeking agenda over his party’s best interests triggered five Republican senators to vote in favour of a war powers resolution, which would limit Trump’s military influence in Venezuela. Though unsuccessful, the defection reveals that Trump’s erratic actions risk isolating him from his own party.
Driving away his once-loyal compatriot and stabbing his own party in the back to pursue a personal agenda marks Trump less as an elected President and more as a Machiavellian villain. Either way, it is clear that his intentions are short-term. While he may tantalisingly suggest running for a third term, saying there are “methods” which would allow him to do so, bypassing the American Constitution in such a way would compromise the nation’s key values of liberty. Adding such fuel to fire, at a time when Americans are already witnessing ICE running rampant and the US is on the verge of colonising Greenland, would be a risky move.
For the time being, Trump remains elusive about his intentions. If, uncharacteristically, he chooses to play by the book, come 2029, he will retire to Mar-a-Lago, leaving behind an undesirable legacy. Whichever president succeeds him will have to deal with a socioeconomic landscape corrupted by his policy experiments, with international relations in tatters. Meanwhile, he will, like many, retire to his compound under the Floridian sun. Unlike them, however, he will spend his final years playing golf with fond memories of his last hurrah as President of the United States.
“Donald Trump Laconia Rally, Laconia, NH by Michael Vadon July 16 2015” by Michael Vadon is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.
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