Donald Trump
— After two years investigating Donald Trump, special counsel Jack Smith’s work ended with a scathing but legally impotent report, highlighting alleged election lies, pressures, and violence-linked rhetoric.
Donald Trump
An American politician, media personality, and businessman who served as the 45th president of the United States from 2017 to 2021 and was re-elected on 5 November 2024 to serve as the 47th president of the United States from 2025 to 2029.
United States
— Donald Trump’s return heralds dramatic shifts in US foreign policy, blending bluster, deal-making, and strategic disengagement from Europe and the Middle East, while intensifying Western Hemisphere dominance and China confrontation.
Long-Read
— Donald Trump’s second presidency heralds a transformative right-wing revolution, threatening US democratic institutions and global stability. Rising inequality, populism, and mistrust in government magnify economic and political challenges worldwide.
COMMENT
— South Korea’s decisive handling of its impeached president contrasts sharply with the US’s failure to hold Trump accountable for the Capitol insurrection, exposing Biden’s Justice Department’s lack of urgency.
OPINION
— Democrats’ 2024 loss highlights their failure to embrace the “MAGA lesson”: unwavering loyalty to leadership. By abandoning Joe Biden and over-relying on Kamala Harris, they handed Donald Trump a decisive victory.
Long-Read
— National populism, fuelled by media-backed disinformation, anti-immigrant rhetoric, and libertarian ideologies, threatens democracies globally by eroding institutions, fostering fear, and exploiting divisions.
Immigration
— Efforts to justify mass deportations using pseudo-scientific claims of genetic differences perpetuate racism and social inequities. Scientific evidence discredits genetic essentialism, showing no basis for claims linking genetics to violence, intelligence, or worth.
US Politics
— Donald Trump’s unpredictability, as demonstrated during his first presidency, leaves global leaders uncertain about his potential actions in his second mandate. His approach mirrors game theory’s “chicken game,” where risk-taking can deter adversaries.
US Immigration
— President-elect Donald Trump has vowed to accelerate the pace of U.S. military shipbuilding. However, his commitment to tightening immigration controls could exacerbate the labour shortages already plaguing the U.S. shipbuilding industry, potentially jeopardising production schedules.
Censorship
— Pulitzer-winning cartoonist Ann Telnaes has left The Washington Post following the newspaper’s decision to withhold her satirical cartoon targeting Jeff Bezos and other tech moguls’ perceived deference to Donald Trump.
UK Foreign Policy
— The UK government’s foreign policy in 2025 will focus on Ukraine, the Middle East, EU relations, Trump’s presidency, and defining “progressive realism”. Challenges include conflicts, alliances, and economic considerations.
TikTok Ban
— Donald Trump’s legal team requested the US Supreme Court delay a January 2025 TikTok ban to allow his administration to negotiate. Critics cite national security; supporters argue free speech violations.
US Politics
— Polling accuracy in the U.S. presidential election faced criticism, despite improved performance over 2020. Small errors in a tight race amplified perceived inaccuracies, but swing state polls generally proved reliable, reflecting a close contest, Professor John Curtice explains.
Far-Right
— Italian PM Giorgia Meloni and Elon Musk’s growing friendship reflects mutual admiration but risks political friction. Alignments on anti-woke stances and potential Starlink expansion highlight tensions between nationalism, deregulation, and global partnerships.
War in Ukraine
— Donald Trump’s invitation to Xi Jinping for his inauguration aims to involve China in Ukraine peace talks, but Beijing’s interests likely align with prolonging the conflict, favouring its geopolitical dominance.
COMMENT
— Donald Trump’s administration is appointing media figures like Kari Lake, Pete Hegseth, and Mehmet Oz to key roles, emphasising communication skills over journalistic integrity, raising concerns about credibility and impartiality.
