Here we go again! President Donald Trump is back in the White House doing as he promised: being a dictator from day one. Last time he was disruptive, attacking and disengaging from international agreements and institutions. This time, it looks like it’s going to be even more extreme.

His torrential outpouring of executive orders has put everyone on notice that gradual change and moderate engagement with the international community is off the table, at least until 7 November 2028. Last time out, he said he was taking the US out of the Paris Agreement on climate change. He failed as a notice period was required, such that President Biden was able to reverse the move without it ever coming into force, and the US remained part of the essential global shared effort to prevent climate disaster. This time around, even as wildfires raging on the West Coast of America gave clues to even the staunchest of climate change deniers, President Trump declared he was again taking the US out of the Paris Agreement. And, because the notice period was served during his first term, it looks far more likely to happen this time.

The phrase ‘act of enormous self-harm’ comes to mind, not only regarding climate policy, but in many other areas, too. Notably trade, for example. President Trump has enjoyed bandying about his favourite word: tariffs. The impetuous President has already initiated a trade war with his nearest neighbours, Canada and Mexico, as well as one of the other major world economic powers, China, and threatened to do the same with the EU. Former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers could not be clearer, calling the moves ‘a supply shock that will mean higher prices – a self-inflicted wound to the American economy’. Climate, trade, the economy, we could go on, but space doesn’t permit here. The coverage in this edition goes into more depth and detail on the extent to which the second Trump administration is pushing the bounds, both domestically and internationally, in terms of legality and basic common sense.

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