Trump’s 100 Days: Better or Worse?

Trump’s First 100 Days: A Rollercoaster of Diplomatic Wins and Domestic Stumbles
The first 100 days of a U.S. presidency are a political rite of passage—a high-stakes audition where promises collide with reality. For Donald Trump, inaugurated on January 20, 2017, this period was a study in contradictions: a foreign policy that defied expectations and a domestic agenda riddled with roadblocks. From NATO flip-flops to Twitter-fueled chaos, Trump’s early tenure was anything but boring. Here’s the forensic breakdown of what worked, what flopped, and why America’s thrift-store-savvy shoppers (and voters) should care.
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Diplomatic Surprises: The Art of the (Unexpected) Deal

Critics braced for a dumpster fire, but Trump’s foreign policy team pulled off a few slick maneuvers.
Asia-Pacific Chess Moves
Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, Defense Secretary James Mattis, and VP Mike Pence jetted across the Pacific, reassuring allies spooked by Trump’s campaign rhetoric. The president himself schmoozed with leaders from China to Germany, proving he could play nice—or at least *nicer*—than his “America First” bluster suggested.
Middle East Muscle Flexing
Remember when Trump called NATO “obsolete”? Plot twist: He strong-armed members into boosting defense spending, earning a grudging nod from NATO’s secretary general. Then came the 59 Tomahawk missiles lobbed at Syria—a stark U-turn from Obama’s caution and a red line Trump actually enforced.
Russia: The Elephant in the Oval
The “bromance” with Putin fizzled fast. Between Michael Flynn’s resignation over shady Russian contacts and Syria-related tensions, Trump’s Moscow cozy-up turned frosty. The “collusion” cloud? Still looming.
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Domestic Disarray: When Populism Meets Gridlock

If diplomacy was Trump’s surprise win, home turf was a yard sale of stalled promises and half-baked plans.
Economic Whiplash
“Trumponomics” was heavy on slogans (“$1 trillion infrastructure! Massive tax cuts!”) but light on details. Unlike Obama’s swift 2009 stimulus rollout, Trump’s team fumbled the policy playbook. Wall Street’s initial cheer (5% Dow bump post-election) gave way to jitters as healthcare and tax reforms stalled.
Healthcare Faceplant
Repealing Obamacare was a core pledge—until it wasn’t. The GOP’s replacement bill collapsed in Congress, exposing rifts between Trump’s populist base and party hardliners. Cue awkward silence on pre-existing conditions.
Immigration Theater
The travel ban? Blocked twice by courts. The “big, beautiful wall”? More like a budgetary pipe dream. Even Trump’s signature issue got tangled in legal barbed wire.
Silver Lining: SCOTUS Score
Neil Gorsuch’s Supreme Court confirmation was a rare win—a conservative judge young enough to shape rulings for decades. For evangelicals and the GOP base, this was the ultimate thrift-store steal.
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The Trump Effect: Tweets, Tears, and Tanking Approval

Love him or loathe him, Trump rewrote the presidential playbook—often via iPhone.
Government by Hashtag
500 tweets in 100 days. From taunting North Korea to bashing the “fake news” media, Trump treated Twitter like a megaphone—and America’s institutions like piñatas. Traditional press briefings? So last administration.
The “Enemy of the People” Era
Trump’s war on the media hit DEFCON 1, with CNN and the *New York Times* branded as “opposition.” The result? A country split between Fox News diehards and #Resistance Twitter.
Polling Freefall
Approval ratings hovered at a historic low (~40%), with 54% of Americans giving him the thumbs-down. Rising costs and healthcare uncertainty fueled buyer’s remorse—even among some Trump-voting bargain hunters.
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The Verdict: A Presidency in Beta Mode

Compared to FDR’s 15 landmark laws in 100 days or Obama’s stimulus blitz, Trump’s legislative record was thinner than a clearance-rack sweater. His 30+ executive orders (more than Obama or Bush) got slapped down by courts, exposing the limits of governing by decree.
Yet, Trump’s team showed flashes of adaptability—pivoting on NATO, Syria, and even (grudgingly) Russia. The question: Could this chaotic, Twitter-fueled presidency evolve? Or was it doomed to be a four-year fire sale of unmet promises?
One thing’s clear: By Day 100, Trump had already broken the mold. Whether that meant *fixing* anything—well, America’s shoppers (and voters) were still waiting for the receipt.