Trump trying to reignite 'strongman' image with 'unpredictable' second term: analysis

The waning "strongman" image Donald Trump has attempted to present in office is causing "unpredictable" results, according to a political analyst.

While the president may want to come across as tough on the world stage by throwing threats at Venezuela, Greenland, and Cuba, the actions are "unpredictable" and cause for concern. CNN analyst Stephen Collinson believes the recent acts of Trump and his administration are to counter the opinion from political commentators calling him a "lame duck" president.

Collinson wrote, "So much for that lame duck in the White House. President Donald Trump is doubling down on retribution, global domination and relentless domestic power." He added that Trump was "never going to sit by and watch his strongman's aura erode."

Doing so means unpredictability the world over, with Collinson observing a few recent choices from Trump had been made to bolster his image. Collinson added, "So far this year, Trump is indicating that his second year back in the White House will accelerate a trend of the first: Show him a constitutional curb, an international law, or a status quo, and his instinct is to smash it."

"The result is that millions of people around the world now find their lives intricately bound up in the whims of the most untamed and unpredictable president in generations."

Trump's long term goal with this image, Collinson argues, is to create "maximum disruption" during his time in office. He wrote, "Events of a turbulent early January are consistent with Trump’s aim to create maximum disruption after he left office in 2021 believing that establishment forces had thwarted his better instincts."

"The president is seeking to reverse decades of progressive advances — for instance, at universities, law firms and businesses through his dismantling of diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives."

"And he is seeking to redefine America’s relationship with immigrants, not just by seeking to deport undocumented migrants, but with a string of steps to curtail legal immigration and even travel to the US from citizens of non-White nations. There is no backing down."