SINCE returning to the White House last year, Donald Trump has moved swiftly to reshape U.S. power domestically and abroad by redirecting funding, testing the limits of executive authority and wielding tariffs as a political tool.
According to David Lawler, Deputy Managing Editor and National Security Editor at Axios, Trump’s second term marks a sharper and more assertive turn.
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“On foreign policy, we’re seeing a much more muscular and aggressive Trump than we saw the first time around,” he said, citing the U.S. capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro and threats to send a second aircraft carrier to the Middle East.
Immigration enforcement has also emerged as a defining feature of Trump’s political strategy.
Recent operations by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) have sparked controversy and protests nationwide, particularly after the deaths of two U.S. citizens following clashes with officers in Minnesota.
“Right now, he’s signalling that he’s backing off on that, but his impulse over time is to use that issue to his political advantage,” said Lawler.
LEGISLATIVE CONTROL, MIDTERM PRESSURES
Another major shift lies in Washington itself.
During his first term, Trump faced resistance from within his own administration and, at times, from Congress. This time, Lawler notes, the guardrails appear weaker.
With Republicans controlling both the House and Senate, dissent within the party has largely receded.
“Their top priority is staying on the right side of Donald Trump,” Lawler said. “He can end their political careers and make life very uncomfortable for them if they cross him.”
Trump also returned to office amid persistent inflation and cost-of-living pressures, with groceries and housing still weighing heavily on households.
While expectations were high that he would bring prices down quickly, the latest polling suggests public confidence is slipping.
Trump’s hardline immigration push remains popular with segments of his base, but broader voter sentiment appears more unsettled.
If current trends continue, Lawler warns Republicans could face significant losses in November’s midterms.
“There is this general sense that things are pretty chaotic right now,” Lawler said. “Some people find it refreshing. But for more people across the country, they want politics to feel a little bit more stable and predictable.”
Lawler expects a motivated “anti-Trump” coalition to turn out against the President. Still, he cautions against drawing long-term conclusions from midterm outcomes alone.
“Our politics tend to reset a little bit after the midterms,” Lawler said. “Nine months is a long way away. Two years is an eternity in U.S. politics.”
