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Trump’s Second Act: Turmoil, Tension, and the Test of Power in the Coming 100 Days

 

As Donald Trump marks the completion of his first 100 days back in office, political veterans and insiders alike are bracing for a far more volatile stretch ahead. “The next 100 days is going to be the most important in modern American politics,” said Steve Bannon, Trump’s former White House strategist. “The reason is that having set the foundation that came off of four years of work, now you have the convergence of these crises. It’s all going to come to a head. The drama is going to be incredible.”

 

Inside Butterworth’s, a Capitol Hill haunt favored by the Maga elite, the air is celebratory. Patrons toast to Trump’s early record with drinks like “Freedom Fizz” and “Presidential Punch” while pamphlets list off achievements such as dismantling DEI initiatives and strengthening border control. However, as laughter fills the room, there’s a shared recognition that the true test of Trump’s second term is only just beginning.

 

The economy is already showing signs of strain under Trump’s aggressive tariff regime, which has sparked market turmoil and forced the administration into defensive posturing. “This was Biden’s Stock Market, not Trump’s,” the president insisted, adding it had “NOTHING TO DO WITH TARIFFS.” But those inside Trump’s circle worry that the 90-day pause on tariffs is only a temporary reprieve. “I wish we could have done the tariffs in the second half of the term,” confided one Trump supporter. “We hate tariffs but we can’t say so.”

 

The court battles are looming. After using the rarely invoked 1798 Alien Enemies Act to push deportations, Trump’s legal strategy has run into hurdles. A federal judge recently ruled that the AEA applies only during an “armed organised attack,” complicating Trump’s plans to deport Venezuelan gang members without court hearings. This may soon escalate to the Supreme Court, possibly culminating in a constitutional crisis. “My recommendation to him is just do what Lincoln did,” Bannon urged. “Declare emergency powers and suspend the writ of habeas corpus, OK, and strip them the f*** out and dare anybody to stop them.”

 

Foreign policy too remains an uncertain front. While a minerals deal with Ukraine was signed, Russia continues its advance, and Trump appears to be losing interest. The State Department announced it would halt mediation efforts between Russia and Ukraine, yet a broader peace plan remains a White House objective. Trump’s critics worry this aim may be undermined by internal discord.

 

The sudden resignation of national security adviser Mike Waltz further rattled Washington. Blamed for the “Signalgate” episode and branded a “neoconservative” by Maga purists like Laura Loomer, Waltz is being replaced temporarily by Marco Rubio, with Stephen Miller rumored as a permanent contender. “A lot of people want this job,” an insider revealed, as tensions among Trump allies like Elon Musk and others begin to emerge.

 

“Speak to senior figures and they will often say completely different things,” said one White House source.

 

Nowhere is division starker than over Iran. Some Trump supporters advocate immediate action against Iran’s nuclear ambitions, while others like Marjorie Taylor Greene are furious. “I campaigned for no more foreign wars and now we are supposedly on the verge of going to war with Iran,” she said.

 

Yet it’s the economy that could determine Trump’s fate. With Wall Street reeling and supporters uneasy, the pressure is on Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to broker critical trade deals before the tariff pause expires. Trump also faces the daunting task of passing a sweeping tax and spending bill through Congress, despite holding Republican majorities. “What makes or breaks Trump is Congress in the next 30 days — if he can’t get this bill through the economy is screwed,” warned a Capitol Hill veteran.

 

Bannon doesn’t mince words about what’s at stake. “He has to get this massive spending bill right or he’ll end up like Liz Truss, turfed out by the bond market. So you’ve got to get the spending right. You have to get the taxes right. You have to get the reorganisation of the global economy, the commercial relations.”

 

Despite the growing storm clouds, Bannon insists Trump remains unfazed. “Here’s the thing, Trump right now is a man in full. He doesn’t give two f***s, right? He just walks in, he’s throwing thunderbolts, and every institution before him is cratering. The greatest law firms in the world have cratered to him. The newspapers, the media, all of it. I’ve never seen anything like it.”

 

Trump himself echoed the sentiment last week, declaring, “We’ve just gotten started, you haven’t seen anything yet.”

 

image.png  Adpated by ASEAN Now from The Times  2025-05-06

 

 

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Posted
47 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

he does not have a coherent plan

The key word here is "coherent" which is under scrutiny at the moment.

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Posted

I think he's been overly cautious in his first 100 days. 

 

He's on the right track, but he really needs to ramp things up a bit now. Full steam ahead.  

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Posted
12 hours ago, Muhendis said:

I'm afraid that just about sums it up.

Except those parts which are being tracked as consistent with the Project 2025n plan.

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