He did it to Colombia first, making it an example. India took the hint and agreed to take thousands of its illegals — accepting a military planeload of them in chains without demur amid an uproar in parliament and protests outside.
As Mexico and Canada too caved in after brief bravado, they were given slight reprieves with one posting 10,000 troops at the border to prevent illegal crossings and the other agreeing to launch a war on fentanyl and organized crime and listing cartels as terrorists.
The new old kid on the block has a new improved old trick up his sleeve — his terrific tariffs — that get him all the goodies he wants — and a new daredevil ‘DOGE’ with a big bite to send others running for cover!
“Tariffs are very powerful, both economically and in getting everything else you want. When you’re the pot of gold, the tariffs are very good,” declared Donald Trump making clear his intent to use them liberally to bully other nations as well.
POTUS 47 acknowledged his tariff terror trade war may hurt Americans a bit too. “WILL THERE BE SOME PAIN? YES, MAYBE (AND MAYBE NOT!),” he posted on his Truth Social. But then what’s a little pain to make America great again!
Then flexing his muscles beyond tariffs, Trump pulled a wild rabbit from under his golden mop, with visiting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin “Bibi” Netanyahu sitting by his side in the Oval Office, as his shocked chief of staff, the ‘icy maiden’ Susie Wiles, gaped with dagger eyes.
READ: Trumpiana: Bamboozled ‘babus,’ at His Majesty’s service (February 2, 2025)
Grab Gaza after banishing Palestinians from their war-ravaged land to transform it into the “Riviera of the Middle East,” where international communities could coexist after nearly 16 months of Israeli bombardment, he suggested!
Even as Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and the UN too rejected the “absurd” idea upending decades of international diplomacy, the former real estate mogul dug in on his plan to build one of the planet’s “greatest and most spectacular developments” there.
As experts wondered whether the patently “unworkable” idea was for real or if this bluff and bluster was just a negotiating ploy for the author of “The Art of the Deal,” Israeli defense minister ordered the military to draft a plan “to allow people in Gaza to voluntarily leave.”
Back in India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi prepared to go calling on his ‘dear friend” next week — hoping to get as sweet a deal as “Bibi” — despite military deportation of Indians casting a long shadow on the impending visit.
READ: Trumpiana: The man with the big black pen (January 27, 2025)
Meanwhile, amid a continuing bureaucratic bloodbath, Trump fired Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s desi director Rohit Chopra, who had been targeted by Republican lawmakers for putting restrictions on financial institutions in favor of consumers.
But even as the confirmation of Kash Patel, Trump’s desi pick as FBI director, was delayed over his so-called “enemies list,” his new attorney general Pam Bondi moved swiftly to assert control over the historically independent and powerful investigative agency.
Bondi, who had come to office promising that “politics will not play a part” in her investigative decisions, promptly created a working group to review the “weaponization” of the criminal justice system by officials who had investigated and charged Trump.
It was one of her 14 directives that shuttered department task forces, restored the federal death penalty and, above all else, mandated obedience to Trump’s agenda.
Again, as Tulsi Gabbard, Trump’s ‘honorary desi’ pick as his spy master — director of national intelligence— awaited a confirmation vote, an overhaul of the “Company” began with the premier foreign intelligence agency sending ‘buyout’ offers to its entire workforce.
First buddy Elon Musk, meanwhile, picked Akash Bobba, a 22-year-old desi whiz kid and a bunch of other “young inexperienced” engineers to unleash his DOGE of war on waste across the federal bureaucracy with U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) its prime target.
Hundreds of employees were put on leave and service contracts of hundreds more were terminated for a projected savings of $128 million as Musk began the process of shutting down the “conceptually good” old foreign aid agency that “turned out to be radical left lunatics,” as Trump put it.
Amid an outcry over an out of control Musk stepping on many toes to carry out the boss’ orders to send his wrecking ball hurling across the federal government, the POTUS was quick to show who was incharge.
“Elon can’t do and won’t do anything without our approval. And we’ll give him the approval where appropriate, where not appropriate, we won’t,” assured a Trump unfazed by a provocative TIME cover depicting Musk as president. “Is TIME magazine still in business? I didn’t even know that,” he asked dismissively.
Then amid some pushback by courts, as thousands came out across the U.S. to protest his “power grab,” Trump fired another salvo. In a tit for tat action, he removed Joe Biden’s access to classified information by revoking his security clearance and stopping his daily intelligence briefings. “Joe, you’re fired,” he said sarcastically ending with his signature slogan, “Make America Great Again.”
In another bizarre move, Trump declared his intent to sign an Executive Order next week “ending the ridiculous Biden push for Paper Straws, which don’t work. BACK TO PLASTIC!”
“Greatest President ever!” Musk responded to the post. A few minutes later, he added, “I love @realDonaldTrump as much as a straight man can love another man.”
Earlier citing Trump’s “achievements” — from Canada panicking to mass deportations, to DOGE saving billions — Musk trumpeted his desire to chisel Trump’s face on Mount Rushmore with four other legendary presidents.
“At this rate of achievement, not only should President @realDonaldTrump be on Mount Rushmore, I want to personally work the chisel!” he posted on X.
No, countered a fervent Trump supporter suggesting, “At this pace, they’re gonna need a whole new mountain for Trump” — Mount Trump!