Donald Trump's unpredictable behaviour 'caused by one major change that can't be stopped'
Donald Trump has alarmed onlookers and commentators with his behaviour since he entered the White House, and one expert believes they have the answer as to why he has taken things to the next level
Since taking office, there have been widespread concerns among political commentators about Donald Trump's erratic, autocratic, and unusual behaviour.
The 78-year-old has issued numerous Executive Orders, passed minimal legislation through Congress, deported hundreds of alleged Venezuelans, imposed tariffs on America's largest trading partners, disrupted the Western alliance, and expressed an interest in annexing both Canada and Greenland.
In addition to this, he has handed over a significant amount of his power to unelected billionaire Elon Musk, who he has effectively made Prime Minister. Through the non-governmental department DOGE, Musk has laid off thousands of federal workers and dismantled USAID.
As a result, commentators like Simon Marks have warned that democracy is under threat in America. The UK has even altered its travel advice following reports of foreigners being denied entry into the US for expressing anti-Trump views, including a French scientist with a valid visa.
These incidents occurred before one of Trump's top officials added respected journalist Jeffrey Goldberg to a public messaging app, where senior US officials were allegedly posting classified information about impending attacks on Houthi rebels.
All these actions and more have left people questioning what exactly Trump's strategy is and why he has taken such extreme measures compared to his first term.
One expert suggests that Trump's advancing age may be the reason behind his erratic behaviour. At 78, Trump is the same age as Joe Biden when he became the 46th President. Four years later, Biden faced concerns about his mental abilities, leading many to focus on Trump's present highly unusual behaviour.
According to former justice secretary David Gauke, Trump's age and ego may be driving his desire to leave a lasting legacy. In an article for the New Statesman, Gauke wrote: "Trump is an old man in a hurry, keen to establish his place in history."
Gauke explained that Trump's ambitions for territorial expansion, similar to Alexander the Great's conquests, are a means to achieve this goal, with Canada and Greenland being the modern-day equivalents of Egypt and Persia.
Gauke also shed light on Trump's behavior towards the US's traditional allies, such as Ukraine, Europe, Canada, and the UK, and its historic adversaries, particularly Russia.
He stated: "There is a reason Trump is kinder to America's traditional adversaries than its traditional allies – the latter have more to lose and, therefore, are more easily exploited and extorted."
Gauke further added: "As a businessman, Trump did not succeed by building trust and optimising the value of relationships but by using every lever he had to obtain the largest share of the spoils. His ethos was screw the little guy. US allies can expect nothing better."
However, given the President's age and his well-known penchant for fast food, there are growing concerns about how long it will be before this lifestyle begins to impact him both mentally and physically.
As he persists in reshaping the American state, it's certain that his actions will leave a mark. However, apprehensions about the potential damage this mark could cause are increasing with each passing day.