Trump's policies divide US, allies

Since being sworn into power, US President Donald Trump has been quickly and firmly implementing his campaign promises. He has not only ordered an immediate withdrawal of the United States from the Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement, but also issued a travel ban against the citizens of seven Muslim countries, and signed an executive order for a wall to be built along the US-Mexico border. During a phone call with Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, he even ridiculed a refugee agreement reached between the US and Australia under the Barack Obama administration, and reportedly ended the call abruptly.

While Trump has promised a "new deal" in the first 100 days of presidency, he has already caused much damage in his first 10 days, threatening the core checks-and-balances of US democracy. To retaliate against his travel ban, Americans nationwide are protesting against Trump's radical move. The Senate minority leader Charles Schumer has called such a travel ban very "un-American" and San Francisco and Washington State have launched lawsuits against the president. More than 900US diplomats have officially lodged their dissent, saying that "such a ban will bring more harm to the US than otherwise." The United Nations has also expressed its concern over such a ban. Breaking American tradition not to comment on the present president, former president Obama has just spoken out to defend America's "core value".

Trump has not only hurt US relations with the Muslim world, he has also upset the US' friends and allies. His disrespect of Australia has invited dissatisfaction from Canberra. His claim that Germany has been "tapping the weak euro" so as to exploit its trade partners, and his comment on Japan's currency manipulation, have upset these major allies. And more than a million people in the United Kingdom have voiced their opposition to the UK government inviting Trump to visit, and Mexican President Enrique PenaNieto has decided to cancel his visit to the US.