Washington
UJ
—
The element of surprise has historically been one of President Donald Trump’s most notable characteristics, and the uncertainty it creates often leaves many puzzled.
From financial markets to international relations, a recent wave of Trump-induced turmoil echoed globally this week, prompting inquiries into whether his actions regarding trade, aid to Ukraine, or the federal workforce reflect a calculated strategy or impulsive reactions.
“Look, our country’s been exploited by everyone,” Trump stated on Friday. “That ends now.”
The seventh week of his presidency was anticipated to be somewhat victorious, highlighted by a prime-time speech to a joint Congress aimed at uniting Republicans behind his policies. However, it was dominated by Trump’s actions rather than his rhetoric, especially his abrupt changes to tariff policies.
Merely a day after imposing tariffs on Canada and Mexico, he reversed his decision, granting automakers a one-month reprieve.
The following day, his choice to delay additional tariffs on Canada and Mexico prompted confusion in the financial markets.
“I’m not even monitoring the market,” Trump remarked on Thursday in the Oval Office, a comment that elicited eye rolls from both advisers and supporters.
Regardless of Trump’s claims about the stock market, it was certainly keeping an eye on him, erasing most of the gains recorded since the election in November.
Despite the extensive preparations made by Trump and his team during their four years out of power—developing executive orders and detailed strategies to overhaul the federal workforce—the first week of March served as a reminder that all presidents face success or failure based on how they handle uncontrollable challenges.
For Trump, this is particularly evident in his handling of the economy and the situation in Ukraine, where his efforts to negotiate an end to the conflict have been marked by a softening U.S. stance toward Kyiv and a warming of relations with Moscow.
Despite the ups and downs regarding tariffs that left stock prices plummeting and executives scrambling, Trump appeared unfazed.
In fact, by Friday, he had once again shifted his stance, threatening a hefty 250% tariff on Canadian dairy, a topic never before addressed in his extensive discussions about tariffs throughout the week.
This dairy concern was specifically raised by the president during a phone conversation with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, which he later characterized on Truth Social as having concluded “in a ‘somewhat’ friendly manner.”
Notably, the quotation marks around “somewhat” were significant. The phone call, at times, became quite heated, with both leaders exchanging expletives and raising their voices to make their points.
There may have been residual frustration involved. Trudeau had been attempting to reach Trump for several days before new 25% tariffs were ready to be enacted, but his attempts were ignored.
By the time Trudeau felt compelled to inform “Donald” that his tariffs were a “very foolish decision,” it was evident that the relationship between the two leaders had soured significantly.
White House officials were taken aback by the informal way Trudeau referred to the president, and they began contemplating a future where Trudeau would no longer hold his position.
Trump’s conversation with Trudeau did not yield an immediate tariff reprieve, but by the next day he had agreed to postpone the tariffs until April.
New disputes arose this week in the White House concerning Elon Musk’s role at the Department of Government Efficiency, as different agencies rushed to conclude their reorganization plans before March 13, the next target date for shedding federal employees and reducing government size.
Several Cabinet members have expressed discontent about a perceived lack of autonomy within their departments amidst Musk’s attempts to reshape the bureaucracy. Republicans in Congress have also raised alarms over the potential for significant cuts that could adversely impact their districts.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio has been vocal among the Cabinet members about his criticisms of initiatives from the Department of Government Efficiency, sharing his concerns with former Senate colleagues.
The State Department was one of the agencies that directed its personnel to disregard Musk’s demands for employees to substantiate their positions by responding to a government-wide email listing five accomplishments from the past week.
During a private meeting, Trump instructed his Cabinet to “retain all the personnel you require, everyone you need,” as Rubio and other members engaged Musk in discussions over diverging approaches to government cuts, according to officials.
“There’s no conflict; I was present, you’re just stirring trouble,” Trump remarked, responding to a reporter in the Oval Office who inquired about the meeting. “Elon and Marco have a great rapport and are both performing excellently. There is no issue.”
Trump has indicated that he supports Musk’s broader plans, as Musk was among a select group of advisors who joined Trump on Air Force One Friday evening as they traveled to his Mar-a-Lago retreat in Florida.
The ongoing conflict in Ukraine has left the president feeling exasperated, particularly as his self-imposed deadline to resolve the situation by his inauguration slipped away.
He has primarily expressed his frustration toward Ukraine, including during a recent confrontation in the Oval Office that culminated with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky being asked to exit the West Wing.
Following the altercation with Zelensky, some of Trump’s aides expressed skepticism about the possibility of mending the relationship. Furthermore, many of Trump’s top allies called for Zelensky to resign. On Monday, the administration announced a halt to military assistance to Kyiv, with reports later emerging that intelligence sharing had also been partially suspended.
Behind the scenes, however, U.S. officials were initiating back-channel communications with Zelensky and his team, emphasizing the need to stabilize relations with the White House promptly. They encouraged the Ukrainians to resume dialogues before the president’s forthcoming address to Congress.
One of those who communicated with Zelensky was Trump’s envoy to Ukraine, Keith Kellogg, according to a source familiar with the discussions. This was swiftly followed by a conciliatory message from Zelensky on X, acknowledging the Oval Office meeting as “regrettable.”
The efforts appeared to have a positive impact.
By Tuesday evening, Trump seemed receptive to reconciliation, as he read out Zelensky’s message during a Congressional address. By Thursday, arrangements had been made for discussions between American and Ukrainian officials in Saudi Arabia next week.
“He regarded Zelensky’s letter as a very encouraging first step,” stated Trump’s Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff on Thursday. “It contained an apology, an acknowledgment of the significant support provided by the United States to Ukraine, and a palpable sense of gratitude.”
On Friday, Trump also briefly expressed irritation toward Russia, announcing on Truth Social his readiness to impose new sanctions if Moscow continued to “pound” Ukraine.
However, this sentiment seemed short-lived. Just hours later in the Oval Office, he claimed that Russian President Vladimir Putin held “all the cards” in the conflict and expressed understanding for his aggressive actions against Ukraine.
This reaction aligns with Trump’s typical rhetoric over the past month, which has consistently favored Moscow while often disparaging Ukraine and its leadership.
