By Arun Arokianathan, Asian Journalism Fellow
Just over one month and one week since assuming the U.S. presidency on January 20, 2025, Donald Trump is causing massive uncertainty, chaos, and undiplomatic actions that are unprecedented.
Nothing is more striking than what happened yesterday, February 28, 2025, at the White House in full view of the world. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky faced a tense meeting with Trump and Vice President JD Vance, where Trump reportedly pushed for a trade deal over war support.
From issuing executive orders like ending birthright citizenship for those born in the U.S.—a right in place since 1868—to renaming the Gulf of Mexico the “Gulf of America,” Trump has made it clear his administration won’t follow the U.S. Constitution or diplomatic norms. He’s even threatened Canada with a 25% tariff on exports and wild talk of annexation, upsetting a trade relationship worth over $900 billion a year. It seems Trump and his team are on a collision course to chase profits and wealth, no matter the cost to relationships, diplomacy, reputation, or humanity.
What happened to Zelensky at the White House isn’t shocking when you see Trump’s focus is solely on cutting deals for himself. Zelensky and Ukraine were left stunned as Trump demanded access to Ukraine’s rare earth minerals—key for tech industries—instead of offering more military aid. A report from CBC, March 2025, notes that Ukraine has been fighting Russia since 2014, and now the European Union and NATO are worried about Trump’s next move. By cozying up to Russia and abandoning Ukraine, Trump is leaving allies confused. NATO leaders are set to meet in Brussels next week to discuss the fallout.
When Trump and his team, led by Elon Musk, send thousands of U.S. federal workers, including USAID staff, packing without care—cutting over 10,000 jobs in weeks—what can a neighbour like Canada expect? The world is watching as Trump’s actions threaten stability. Canada, along with global leaders, is left asking: if this is how he treats his own people and allies, what’s in store for everyone else?