David Schultz, professor of political science at Hamline University, visiting lecturer at Mykolas Romeris University (MRU) and member of the MRU LAB Justice Research Laboratory.
Slightly more than two months into the second term of the Trump presidency, American politics and its foreign policy seem deeply upended. The question is whether it is temporary or permanent.
The backlash against Trump – globally, but more importantly, domestically – is beginning to take shape. On the international front, his foreign policy increasingly aligns with Russia and authoritarianism, while opposing democracy and European security. He has sought to strong-arm Ukraine into concessions while adopting a distinctly Russian perspective on the war. Trump has also pushed to cut USAID and slash other pillars of U.S. foreign policy that had stood for decades.
His approach to trade reflects a zero-sum, bilateral worldview. He sees every trade imbalance as inherently bad and assumes most of our allies are exploiting the United States. This has led him to impose tariffs not just on strategic rivals, but especially on close allies like Canada, and essentially, on just about every trading partner in the world. His ultra-nationalistic, closed-door foreign policy is not enhancing U.S. global influence. Instead, it is pushing Europe – and countries like Lithuania – to become more self-reliant and less dependent on American leadership.
At home, opposition is building. Many of his executive orders and policies are being blocked in the courts. Public opinion strongly rejects his proposed cuts to foreign aid, as well as several of his domestic initiatives.
The recent Supreme Court election in Wisconsin, for instance, revealed how unpopular Trump's brand has become. His endorsed candidate – closely aligned with both Trump and Elon Musk – lost badly to a Democrat.
Domestically, even traditionally conservative outlets like the Wall Street Journal, along with many Republican analysts, are beginning to criticize Trump and his policies. And for Trump who measures his success by the stock market, it soundly rejected his tariff policies. While nothing is guaranteed, there is a sense that his recklessness – much like in his first term – may ultimately prevent him from accomplishing many of his goals. Now, in this second term, the backlash might be even more pronounced. His chaotic approach to governance could stymie whatever agenda he’s pursuing – if he even has a coherent one.
Two months into this administration, many are concerned that the path Trump is taking America down may not be easily reversible. The open question remains: Will Trump be able to stay his course, or will other forces step in to normalize him — to rein him in before he acts on his worst instincts?