A President Unleashed, The EU/Trump dilemma & Can Gaza’s truce hold?

This week we examine three major global stories shaping the headlines. In the U.S., He is a President Unleashed as the Trump administration’s return to power has brought bold, controversial promises of American expansionism and mass pardons for January 6 rioters, signaling a dramatic shift in policy and rhetoric.

A president unleashed

Since taking office as the 47th US president on January 20, Donald Trump has issued a slew of executive orders covering everything from environmental regulations to migration and America’s citizenship rules.

As well as pardoning his Jan 6 protestors, the US President Donald Trump signed pardons on Thursday for 23 anti-abortion activists convicted of blocking access to abortion clinics.

He’s forgiven his own, given Israel bigger bombs and empowered Musk to cause havoc in European politics especially those countries that oppose American impunity.

In the Middle east – Can Gaza’s truce hold?

Can Gaza’s truce hold? Is Israeli deliberately trying to break the ceasefire a tactic used to force a reaction form Hamas, so the IDF can go back in.

In the Middle East, Gaza experiences a fragile ceasefire after 470 days of war, marked by hostage exchanges and ongoing struggles for humanitarian aid. However, despite the ceasefire, Israel has continued its bombing and increased settler activity and violence in the West Bank.

Donald Trump has lifted a hold on sending 2,000-pound bombs to Israel. The US president has also called on Jordan and Egypt to accept more Palestinian refugees from Gaza.

Significantly, Trump is urging Jordan and Egypt to accept more Palestinian refugees from Gaza, which is the easiest way to clear the land so Israel can seize control of what Trump has described as the best beachfront location in the middle east.

EU has problems with Trump and Musk

EU has problems with Trump but they have a bit relief after a Hungarian presidency marked by what they saw as damaging freelance diplomacy, the torch has now passed to Poland, which holds the reins for six months at a particularly turbulent time.

Germans are the latest European country to have Elon Musk interfere with German politics. Musk has launched his support for the German Far right AfD party.

Meanwhile, NATO faces internal discord, with its chief warning of a crisis over underfunding, as European leaders call for urgent measures to secure the alliance and support Ukraine.

There are huge questions in the EU about how to handle Donald Trump, about western support for Ukraine, about international trade, Europe’s competitiveness, and much else besides.