As Donald Trump continues to issue social media posts and presidential “executive orders” – 17 official pages listing them as of 30 March – there are of course countless attempts to decipher and explain any possible strategies behind his actions.
Does he have a plan or a strategy?
Is he just positioning himself for a third term as president, prohibited by the American Constitution?
In the USA, Trump himself has confirmed that he’s considering running for a third term as president despite the Constitution, reinforcing earlier comments and echoing the words of his former chief strategist and longtime alt-right promoter Steve Bannon. Trump made his comment on March 30 after Bannon told the right-wing NewsNation television channel on March 19 that he and others are working on ways for Trump to seek a third term:
“We’re working on it. I think we’ll have a couple of alternatives. We’ll see what the definition of term limit is.”
Trump has already signed another executive order seeking to overhaul elections and threatening to pull federal funding from states that don’t comply – an order likely to be challenged because states have broad authority to set their own election rules. And Trump has a long history of disputing elections when he loses, especially the false claim that he was cheated out of a win in 2020.
Globally, as he overturns the rules-based world order we have known for the past 80 years and potentially damages America’s international image, some interpretations suggest he has a longer-term goal to address a perceived threat from China – even though his apparent current focus is on purported attempts to end wars in Ukraine and Gaza.
Trump third term?
Trump says he’s considering running again for president – March 30
Trump phones NBC
Trump signs order to overhaul elections – March 25
Steve Bannon says Trump will run again in 2028
Steve Bannon interview on NewsNation – March 19
Is Trump’s executive order on elections legal? – New York Times
How might Bannon make a third term happen – The Hill
How Trump spread 2020 election lies – U.S. House of Representatives report – 21 December 2022
Fear in America – Llewellyn King, AEJ honorary member
Trump tries to concentrate power – NBC
White House list of presidential actions
Trump and the world
The Atlantic publishes secret attack plans in Trump administration Signal chat – March 26
The cost of betrayal – Michael Ignatieff, Canadian academic and former political leader and UK commentator – The Washington Spectator March 12
America is losing its sense of mission – Llewellyn King, AEJ honorary member
“Kyiv is collateral in Trump’s showdown with Xi” – Roger Boyes, The Times – pdf version
Why Trump seeks fast ceasefire in Ukraine – BBC James Lansdale
Military briefing to Elon Musk on top-secret US military plans for potential war with China called off – New York Times
Pentagon to probe leaks to NYTimes, Musk threatens leakers
DOGE cuts leave a vacuum for China to fill – New York Times
Trump’s China Strategy – The Washington Times
Trump’s China strategy – The Hill
Trump v. Putin: “a masterclass in The Art of the Kneel” – Simon Walters, the Independent – pdf version
Trump blows up the world order – Allan Little, BBC
Trump and Southeast Asia – Chatham House
White House list of presidential actions
