The world watches, now almost expecting a circus, as Donald Trump’s second act as U.S. President unfolds gradually. Trump, who once promised to drain swamps now looks messed up in a swamp of his own creation. From needling India on Pakistan, cozying up to Syria’s rebranded jihadists to fumbling the Ukraine crisis, capitulating to China on tariffs, and — absurdly — praising Iran’s drones, Trump’s tenure is proving to be a masterclass in squandered potential. For the average person, this isn’t the deal-making titan of 2016; this is a man juggling profits and power grabs as the globe groans.
Meddling in Operation Sindoor
Let’s start with India, where Trump’s meddling tastes like stale roti. First, he arm-twists India with tariffs, forcing concessions on U.S. imports while Indian exporters reel. Then he pressures India to halt strikes on Pakistan, despite the impressive success of Operation Sindoor, which exposed Chinese HQ-9 defence as glorified scrap. Not just that, he then demonstrates his utter ignorance by wading into Jammu & Kashmir to “mediate” the dispute — without the first idea that Indians see Kashmir as “non-negotiable”.
This trifecta — tariffs, Pakistan-love, and Kashmir meddling — is pivoting the Indians away. The mood right now is “Maybe Putin is the real uncle; Trump is only an imposter”. New Delhi too, once cautiously optimistic about his anti-China stance, would now view him as unreliable. His tariff flip-flops with China signal weakness, his Pakistan affinity reeks of appeasement, but most of all, his Kashmir remark alienates a nation fiercely protective of its sovereignty. The average Indian – already sceptical of his tariff games – now sees him as an interloper meddling in sovereign affairs.
Trump is “Bromancing” with ISIS
In Syria, Trump’s diplomatic “genius” has birthed a peculiar love affair with Abu Mohammad al-Jolani, the head of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), a terrorist group that once moonlighted between al-Qaeda’s Syrian branch and ISIS. Earlier in May 2025, Trump reportedly met Jolani, lifted sanctions on Syria, and nodded approvingly as HTS played at governance. The average Syrian Christian, Druze, Alawaite, or Shia Muslim facing regular persecution at the hands of Jolani’s thugs is sure to wonder if the man has ever read a history book – ANY history book – or is he just confident of Jolani’s newfound affinity for tailored suits over suicide vests. For the megalomaniac, that doesn’t matter. This meeting followed a $142 billion Saudi arms deal and $2 trillion in Gulf investments. Nothing screams “strategic vision” like trading geopolitics for a Trump-branded golf course in Doha.
Impotence in resolving Ukraine crisis
Then there is Ukraine, where Donald Trump’s promise of a swift resolution to the conflict has evaporated faster than his campaign’s tax-cut math. Despite boasting he’d end the conflict in “24 hours,” Trump’s efforts have yielded zilch. Russian SMO press on, Ukrainian defence keeps wobbling, and Trump’s diplomatic overtures — vague promises of “deals” with Putin — remain absolute flop-shows. Even the headline writers and click-baiters seem to have given up on his Ukraine-promises these days, as Americans realise the wisdom behind the quintessential expression: “Yankee fumbles with checkers as the Russian plays his chess”.
Trump and His Irrelevant interest in Iran
Then there’s Trump’s bizarre love letter to Iran’s drones. He’s recently called Tehran’s UAVs “beautiful” and a “business opportunity”. This from the man who once tore up the Iran nuclear deal and ordered Soleimani’s assassination. This diplomatic delirium might make the average Middle Easterner wonder whether he is a hawk or just a huckster, eyeing an arms deal, riffing for clout, or just angling for a Trump Tower in Tehran.
Terrorists are now advisors for Trump
Add to this, the curious case of Ismail Royer, a convicted jihadist turned Newsweek columnist, whose return to public life under Trump’s watch feels less like counterterrorism savvy and more like a shrug. Why bother with coherent policy when you can let a former Lashkar-e-Taiba associate pen op-eds? Has his security team gone on a permanent lunch break or is this another episode of “Make America Weird Again”?
Personal gains over strategic imperatives
Finally, the pièce de résistance: the Islamabad crypto saga. Trump’s family, via World Liberty Financial (WLF) — a crypto venture with 60% Trump family ownership (Eric, Donald Jr., and Jared Kushner) — signed a deal with the Pakistan Crypto Council in April 2025. The aim is to make Islamabad South Asia’s crypto hub. The council, barely a month old, roped in Binance founder Changpeng Zhao as an adviser. A WLF delegation, including Zachary Witkoff, son of Donald’s ally Steve Witkoff, was feted by Pakistan’s PM Shehbaz Sharif and army chief Asim Munir. This was just days before the Pahalgam terror attack. Coincidence? Or, as The Times of India, suspects, a financial lifeline for Pakistan amid tensions. WLF denies political motives, but the First family’s silence and the deal’s overlap with Trump’s “peace brokering” raise hackles.
The world’s collective sigh at Donald Trump’s second term is so laden that it could power a small nation. Donald’s 2016 allure was his outsider bravado, a middle finger to elites. In 2025, he’s less maverick than a caricature. Shaky alliances, broken economic promises, and the chasing of Gulf dollars as Syria festers Ukraine burns and China outmaneuvers. His family’s Middle East and Pakistani ventures – hotels, properties, and crypto – reek of self-interest, not geopolitical strategy or statecraft. The global citizen sees a US retreating into incoherence, and I am left wondering if his foreign policy now runs on photo-ops and Gen Z’s “vibes”.
