Experts Analyze Donald Trump's First Presidential Statements: Insights From Sputnik

10:57, 22 January 2025

Christina Glazkova

Writer / Editor

As president, Trump proposed key actions including imposing tariffs on Russia instead of sanctions, planning 25% trade tariffs on Mexico and Canada by February, considering stopping oil imports from Venezuela, highlighting the need for the US to acquire Greenland for security reasons and urging NATO countries to boost defense spending to 5% of GDP.

Sputnik

Donald Trump has made his first statements as the President of the United States. Here's what experts shared with Sputnik—find out more in our digest:

"Trump arrived with radical ideas and without any desire to discuss anything. The proof is that in just a few hours, Trump signed 78 decrees," said geopolitical expert and historian Facundo Arguello.

Trump's repeated warnings to the BRICS are part of his Make America Great Again agenda, aimed at preserving the global dominance of the dollar, reckoned Biswajit Dhar, former professor at the Centre for Economic Studies and Planning at Jawaharlal Nehru University (India).

"Will Donald Trump be able to establish a dialogue between Moscow and Kiev and put an end to the war? This is an open question, the solution to which will certainly require more than 24 hours," said Muhammad Sadiq Ismail, director of the Arab Center for Political Research.

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Without exchanges in US dollars, the United States could face "a significant outflow of capital," indicated Debashis Chakraborty, professor of economics at the Indian Institute of Foreign Trade. According to him, "Trump is doing everything (threats, warnings) to prevent the BRICS from continuing their exchanges in local currencies, as this would have a profound impact on the status of the dollar."

"It is unlikely that relations between the United States and Russia will improve under Trump. Existing sanctions are already putting their relations to the test," observed Amitabh Singh, professor at Jawaharlal Nehru University in New Delhi.

America still holds the illusion of being the sole and main global superpower, although the world has already become completely different and more unipolar, reminded Alexei Martynov, director of the International Institute of New States.

"Among the key moments of his speech, the slogan 'America First' stands out. He made very strong statements, and if implemented, serious changes will occur in the domestic and foreign policy of the United States," said Iranian expert Hashyar Burbouri.