Trump's 100 days: Make America Great Again or Make America Decline?

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Since his presidential campaign, U.S. President Donald Trump has pledged to Make America Great Again.

But the result?

Holding high the banner of the America First doctrine, Trump's first 100 days of his second term have been among the most chaotic in American history. A flurry of executive orders originally introduced to revive the American economy has instead further destabilized the country.

Trump has the lowest 100-day mark approval rating of any president in the past 80 years, according to a Washington Post/ABC News/Ipsos poll. While the majority of presidents in American history enjoyed a honeymoon during their first months in office, Trump is an exception—only 39 percent of adult Americans approve of how Trump is performing in his role, while 55 percent disapprove, including 44 percent who expressed strong dissatisfaction.

The low approval rating is not surprising, considering the blitz of power grabs, volatility in stock markets, and the waning U.S. role in foreign affairs in the past 100 days.

Domestically, the Trump administration has waged war with universities, law firms, museums, and other institutions covering American life, but has failed to deliver its promised results so far.

The Trump administration established a Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), promising to "restore competence and effectiveness" to the federal government. True, the vast majority of governmental programs have been cut in an attempt to cure bureaucracy, save taxpayers' money, and reduce the country's national debt, but these efforts have yielded few positive outcomes.

DOGE's original savings target of $2 trillion was first reduced to $1 trillion and then further cut to $150 billion, which is less than one-tenth of Elon Musk's initial commitment when he first pitched Trump on the idea. Furthermore, dozens of legal setbacks have delayed or even reversed many of DOGE's initiatives, making its recent target of $150 billion difficult to reach.

The same poll released this month suggests that 57 percent of Americans disapprove of Musk's management of DOGE, up from 49 percent in February.

The Trump administration's whirlwind of activities on domestic issues, including immigration, civil service, and legislation, was also met with strong dissatisfaction.

Globally, the White House has waged a trade war against allies and rivals alike, with the ultimate purpose of restoring the manufacturing industry and revitalizing the American economy. However, the administration's promise to lower the cost of living has instead increased prices for Americans.

Trade barriers are apparently more painful for the U.S. than the rest of the world. Rising prices dented consumer confidence. Consumer sentiment was at its fourth-lowest level since 1952 in April, according to CNN. This, to some extent, has contributed to shrinking production and thus rising unemployment. In the meantime, the interest rate, including for home mortgages, is increasing.

The Trump administration's "beautiful" tariffs are driving the world's largest economy to the brink of crisis. Apollo's chief economist, Torsten Slok, warned earlier this week that tariffs could unleash a recession in the U.S. economy by this summer. The past 100 days have been the worst for the stock market since the 1970s—enough to prove the risks of the Trump administration's insistence on tariffs.

U.S. leadership is another dimension in evaluating the Trump administration's performance.

Earlier, Trump vowed to end the Ukraine conflict in 24 hours. Now, 100 days have passed, the White House is still shifting blame back and forth between Russia and Ukraine, with military battles still raging. The world's superpower has so far been unable to secure a permanent end to the conflict in the Middle East. True, it has helped in negotiating a temporary ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, but hostilities have regrettably resumed.

These, plus the Trump administration's repeated attempts to drag the country out of international organizations and pacts, have put a question mark on Washington's global leadership.

"Nobody has ever seen such an unprecedented display of weakness from a would-be strongman – and in just 100 days," American journalist Michael Hirsh said in his article published on Foreign Policy.

The Trump administration vows to Make America Great Again. But in reality, it is Making America Decline, isn't it?

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