The Trump Threat Revisited: A Warning for 2025 and Beyond
How Trump’s Return Could Reshape Democracy, Divide Society, and Challenge Global Stability
A couple of months ago, I wrote an article analyzing the Kamala Harris and Donald Trump debate. In my hubris, I failed to see through the political gimmicks at play—mistaking calculated soundbites for substance and political theater for genuine discourse. I was caught up in the spectacle, overlooking the underlying strategies designed to manipulate public perception and dominate the media narrative.
On November 5th, 2024, Donald John Trump was elected the 47th President of the United States of America. In a stunning turn of events, Trump and the Republican Party delivered a significant blow to the Democrats, reclaiming the presidency with a decisive yet tempered victory. However, one could argue that Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic nominee, managed to prevent a complete landslide defeat. Despite her efforts, Harris lost every single swing state, underscoring the challenges faced by the Democrats in an election that reshaped the political landscape.
Many pundits and observers agree that Joe Biden should never have announced his intention to run for re-election. By doing so, he prevented Harris from gaining enough ground or introducing herself to enough voters before the general election. Now, fast forward to the present—February 2025. Trump is back in the Oval Office, and he’s wasting no time making waves, sparing no one in his quest to reshape the presidency on his terms. He has signed dozens of executive orders, targeting a wide range of issues from repealing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies to initiating mass deportations of undocumented immigrants, all while wielding executive power with little restraint.
Trump has made it clear that he has no intention of adhering to the conventional norms of the presidency. Within days, the United States withdrew from the Paris Climate Agreement and the World Health Organization, institutions it once played a key role in shaping. His rapid decision-making has only escalated tensions on both domestic and international fronts, with global leaders scrambling to navigate his erratic policy shifts.
Since he was elected the 47th President, Donald Trump has repeatedly threatened Canada with tariffs, and now, those threats have become reality. As of this week, Trump has officially imposed a 25% tariff on all imports from Canada and a 10% tariff on Canadian energy. These protectionist measures are poised to have devastating economic consequences for both nations, disrupting critical supply chains and increasing costs for businesses and consumers alike.
Setting opinions aside, it’s evident that Trump lacks a fundamental understanding of economics, international trade, and the mechanics of how tariffs work. These tariffs will significantly increase the cost of imported goods from Canada for American businesses and consumers, making essential commodities more expensive. Canada supplies the United States with approximately 60% of its heavy crude oil imports, 80% of its softwood lumber imports, and about 90% of its electricity imports. The first and last of these are particularly significant—heavy crude oil is essential for powering U.S. heavy machinery and refineries, while Canadian electricity is critical to sustaining the energy needs of nearly the entire Northeastern United States.
U.S. President Donald Trump has adopted an increasingly aggressive stance toward Canada, accusing it of exploiting the United States, a claim rooted in baseless rhetoric rather than reality. His behavior is completely illogical, yet consistent with his often erratic approach. It seems Trump’s ultimate goal is to undermine Canada’s economic and territorial sovereignty, as though he envisions turning Canada into the 51st state—which will never happen, by the way.
We now have a quasi-authoritarian U.S. president who has surrounded himself with billionaires, pardoned 1,500 January 6th rioters, and is governing predominantly through executive actions, all while relying on a razor-thin House majority. I’d err on the side of caution, but I sincerely hope Trump chooses to govern for all Americans rather than catering to a radical segment of the electorate. Despite his campaign promises to lower costs for everyday Americans, the reality tells a different story—egg prices have soared to nearly $10, highlighting the disconnect between rhetoric and results.
Just last week, Donald Trump reportedly had a tense and contentious conversation with Denmark, a NATO ally, reigniting his bizarre interest in annexing Greenland. This alarming episode underscores his erratic approach to foreign relations and disregard for diplomatic norms, even with U.S. allies. Meanwhile, Canada and other American trade partners are preparing retaliatory measures, setting the stage for what could become a full-scale trade war.
These new economic tensions are in direct violation of the USMCA (successor to NAFTA) and demonstrate that Trump is an existential threat to the rules-based order, Western democracies, and the world. Donald Trump's limited understanding of international trade, tariffs, and macroeconomics, combined with his ignorance and aggressive approach, will have serious consequences for Canadians, Americans, and Mexicans alike.
Now is the time for Canada, my homeland, to stand firm against American economic aggression and explore viable alternatives. Stay tuned for my next article, where I’ll delve deeper into this critical issue.