I am watching with interest the beginning of the second term of the Trump presidency. Trump began with pardons of the January 6 rioters, hard to believe. Trump will never be able to sell a law and order narrative now, he is compromised here. On the same token, Biden granted a whole bunch of late presidential pardons including family members. I can see the reason why, US politics is toxic on both sides and Joe was concerned they would go after his family. Then the whole notion of presidential pardons circumnavigating an independent justice system beggars belief.

Trump is moving the military down to the Mexican border, in fairness to Trump, that was a major policy and his government is acting. I have no issues with countries protecting their borders, we live in a world with sovereign countries and borders. Likewise, I am critical of the Biden Administration halting work on the southern border wall, that was just stupid politics.

Kamala Harris as Vice President was tasked with the southern border issue and failed spectacularly. Everyone knew Trump would run for office again, the best way to neutralise the Trump groundswell would have been to finish the wall and take away his policy. But no, the Biden Administration instead offered Trump a huge soapbox to stand on – that was stupid politics.

Whilst some are saying Trump is keeping his promises, he said he would end the Russian invasion of Ukraine in one day, talk about spectacular failures, that deadline has been and gone. Trump thought he could deal with Putin on a personal level and has been openly critical of Zelensky. Trump is a tall man in charge of a strong country, Putin is a short man in charge of an imperialist country believing they can rebuild the former Soviet empire. Russia is not a strong country, the invasion of Ukraine has been a strategic and tactical failure.

Donald Trump is egotistical, he will not want to be played by the weakened short man and made to look like a fool on the international stage. Donald Trump will only have credibility if he assists Zelensky in negotiating a favourable outcome for Ukraine against a weakened and exposed Putin. If Trump gets played by Putin he will be the laughing stock of the world. The strategy is to play on Trump’s ego and ensure a positive outcome for Ukraine and allow Russia to exit with a degree of face saving.