Trump marks his first 100 days in office with a campaign-style rally.

WASHINGTON, April 30 — Donald Trump declared yesterday that he is just getting started, marking the beginning of a presidency that has dramatically shaken the world and destabilized the United States.

Speaking to a cheering crowd of supporters in Michigan, the 78-year-old president boasted of having the “most successful first 100 days of any administration in the history of our country,” despite polls showing growing disillusionment among Americans due to the ongoing economic and political turbulence.

Trump expressed nostalgia for the campaign trail, launching into a speech that at times resembled the rhetoric of a candidate rather than a sitting president. He took aim at Joe Biden, calling him “sleepy,” branding the media as “fake,” labeling judges who oppose him as “communist,” and accusing Democratic opponents of being “radical left.” He also criticized friendly countries for taking advantage of the U.S. in trade.

While promising to finalize trade deals, Trump provided few specifics.

To chants of “USA! USA!,” Trump presented a video showing migrants in handcuffs and shackles being transported and filmed as their heads were shaved, illustrating his controversial deportation policies.

Trump’s presidency has disrupted the United States in ways few others have. Backed by billionaire Elon Musk, he has overseen significant cuts to the federal workforce and reshaped international relations through sweeping tariffs, confrontations with allies, and the reduction of foreign aid.

Although the typical honeymoon period for a new president has evaporated for Trump, who has dismissed poll results, he has tacitly acknowledged the need to moderate some policies due to the negative impact on the stock market. Wall Street, which has dropped more than six percent since Trump took office, showed signs of recovery on news that he might soften tariffs affecting automakers. Trump also softened his stance on firing Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell, despite continuing criticism of Powell's handling of the economy.

In his second term, Trump has surrounded himself with loyalists, confident that his administration is on track to achieve its goals. "I think either we’ve done everything, or it’s in the process of being done,” he said before heading to his rally.

At the White House, Trump replaced a portrait of Barack Obama with a painting of himself surviving an assassination attempt. He has used threats to cut off government access to pressure law firms that previously worked on cases against him and has frozen billions in funding for universities critical of his administration.

Unlike most presidents, Trump has focused more on energizing his base than expanding his appeal, and many of his supporters remain steadfast. “He’s amazing. Everybody’s worried about tariffs. We don’t care—look at everything else that’s coming together too,” said Donna Fitzsimons, a 65-year-old merchandise seller at the Michigan rally.

Meanwhile, the Democratic Party has focused on economic concerns but has struggled with polling. “Trump is to blame for the fact that life is more expensive, it’s harder to retire, and a ‘Trump recession’ is at our doorstep,” said the Democratic National Committee, calling his first 100 days a “colossal failure.”

Even with a narrow Republican majority in Congress, Trump has tested the boundaries of presidential power, signing more than 140 executive orders, many of which have faced legal challenges. He has attempted to end birthright citizenship, which is guaranteed by the US Constitution, and Musk has eliminated billions of dollars in appropriated funding.

Trump has shown impatience with certain promises, such as his pledge to end the war in Ukraine within 24 hours, though Russia has rejected a broad ceasefire offer. He later claimed that the promise was made “in jest,” despite having repeated it more than 50 times before taking office. — AFP