America has entered the second term of Trump.

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Your guide to what the 2024 US election means for Washington and the world

Donald Trump’s inaugural address eight years ago was an “American holocaust,” calling a dystopia of broken factories, poverty and crime. His second episode promises a new “Golden Age of America” ​​in flagging, sunny tones. But much of the rhetoric of revenge was still there, filled with a sense of righteousness and a personal mission born of an unusual political rebirth. For both his supporters and critics, the bottom line is that Trump’s second term promises to be even more consequential and disruptive than his first.

There were times when Trump spoke highly of the achievements of America’s pioneers, from opening up the American West to taking mankind to the stars. He insisted that America would reclaim its rightful place “as the greatest, most powerful, and most respected nation on earth.”

But he simultaneously scrutinized a government that was unable to manage “even a minor crisis” and a “radical and corrupt institution” that amassed power and wealth from its citizens. Opponents fear his pledge to end a justice system “weapon” he believes has been used to target him, including the use of US judicial instruments. Adjust the points with his enemies. And although there is no mention of joining Canada or Holding GreenlandAmerica’s announcement that it will return the Panama Canal will disappoint allies and opponents alike.

With Trump back, such warnings have taken on added force. Although his first term was limited by his lack of knowledge of Washington politics and the “smart people in the room” he appointed as advisers, he became an effective president. It has changed Western attitudes towards China, retreating from multilateralism and emboldened right-wing political parties around the world.

The man who took the oath of office in the Capitol Rotunda on Monday — where rioters tried to block the transition to President Joe Biden four years ago — is even more powerful this time. It is determined by the total number of votes in the Republican Party, which has a majority in both houses of Congress. His cabinet choices are dictated by their loyalty to him. And it’s not just Silicon Valley billionaires, many corporate leaders are rushing to bow the knee to Trump. The narrow victory in the popular vote is now seen as a change in the political climate.

Trump 2.0, moreover, has a detailed agenda to bring about a sea change in how America governs and interacts with the rest of the world. Among the 100 or so executive orders he has already signed, he made it clear that he would authorize new measures by declaring national emergencies, including on immigration and energy issues.

During his campaign, Trump promised to introduce universal tariffs on global imports from Canada, Mexico and China, but has held off on imposing the long-awaited tariffs. But Trump’s announcement that he will end Biden’s Green New Deal and withdraw the United States from the Paris climate accord is a major blow to climate action. Some of his other orders were designed to be unprecedented, radical, and legally questionable.

Beyond the Maga base, there are many reasons why Americans fear democracy. In his farewell speech, Biden rightly warned of the marriage of great wealth and political influence in Trump’s new circle.Oligarchy. . . It’s taking shape in America.” The fact that Trump and his wife issued memecoins to tap the global speculative market in the days before his inauguration is a sign of this shift in self-interest. The legal world, watchdogs and media groups should be paying attention. Trump’s first term and its end were tumultuous, but the U.S. Power checks and balances are about to be tested like never before.