The mere rumor of such development could spike interest in Trump-branded real estate or crypto tied to the initiative.
In the case of Canada, proposals to “streamline” North American energy or water pipelines under a Trump-led agreement could open the door for influence over cross-border projects — again, potentially enriching insiders under the guise of diplomacy.
The Panama Canal, long a symbol of U.S. global control, offers even more opportunity. Any attempt to regain influence — framed as “securing trade routes” — could be used to justify massive government spending, security contracting, and international negotiations. All of it could be channeled through Trump’s familiar playbook: install loyalists, reward supporters, and position his family or businesses to benefit behind the scenes.
“Territorial talk may be symbolic — but the financial motives behind it are very real.”
On the policy front, Trump moved quickly to freeze large portions of federal spending. He paused nearly all U.S. foreign aid for 90 days — a sweeping freeze that disrupted humanitarian and public health programs around the world. In Uganda, Ebola containment efforts were delayed. One USAID official who warned about the consequences was swiftly placed on leave.
Domestically, Trump halted grants to programs he politically opposed, including those focused on climate change, diversity, and education. He also blocked the hiring of thousands of IRS agents who had been tasked with auditing high-income earners. Under Biden, those agents were supposed to target people earning more than $400,000. By canceling the hires, Trump effectively removed a layer of tax enforcement aimed at the wealthy — including, potentially, himself.
Trump also escalated his long-running feud with the press. He filed a $20 billion defamation lawsuit against CBS News. Days later, the FCC — now under a Trump appointee — launched investigations into CBS, ABC, and NBC. All of this occurred while CBS’s parent company was seeking government approval for a major merger. Analysts warned that Trump’s actions blurred the line between regulatory power and political retaliation.
Elsewhere, Meta (Facebook’s parent company) settled a lawsuit with Trump for $25 million. Around the same time, the platform scaled back fact-checking policies that had frustrated conservative groups. For critics, the timing suggested that large corporations were adjusting policies to avoid conflict with Trump’s administration — not based on principle but pressure.
But no move drew more criticism than the wave of pardons issued in Trump’s first days. He granted clemency to more than 1,500 people connected to the January 6 Capitol riot — including some convicted of violent assaults. He called them “patriots” and later instructed the Justice Department to dismiss pending cases related to the attack. Prosecutors and legal experts warned this set a dangerous precedent: that violence carried out for political reasons might go unpunished.