U.S. politics, particularly in Washington D.C., will never be the same again. Politicians, especially those from the old guard, watched with anxiety as President Donald J. Trump transitioned from the 45th to the 47th president on January 20. The fear stems from the revolutionary policies he plans to implement, aimed at dismantling the old world order in favor of a new one aligned with his “Make America Great Again” (MAGA) agenda.
As Trump was inaugurated in cold weather, many residents of Washington D.C.—who make up the bureaucratic “swamp” that Trump has vowed to drain—felt the chill deeply. This group represents the entrenched political establishment that Trump seeks to overhaul.
The saying goes that change is mankind’s greatest threat, and Trump has been bold in advocating for his vision of change. The task of draining the swamp—removing the bureaucratic hurdles that have hindered governance in the U.S.—has been assigned to Elon Musk, the world’s wealthiest man, and Vivek Ramaswamy, a billionaire tech entrepreneur and former GOP presidential contender. Both are set to lead a new initiative, the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which aims to increase government efficiency.
It’s no surprise, then, that outgoing President Joe Biden, who recently handed over the reins of the U.S. to Trump, expressed disdain for the direction he sees Trump’s administration taking. Biden suggested that under Trump, America’s government might resemble a “Boligarchy”—a play on the term “Oligarchy”—implying that a small group of ultra-wealthy individuals, particularly billionaires, would wield control over the country. This would stand in stark contrast to the democratic principles of government “by the people, for the people” that have been in place since 1776.
But is that criticism fair or an outrage against Trump’s leadership style that is about to uppend the old order?
In his farewell speech on January 15, Biden warned of a dangerous concentration of power in the hands of the rich, which he believes could threaten democracy, basic rights, and fairness. He specifically referenced Trump’s ties to figures like Elon Musk (Tesla and SpaceX) and Mark Zuckerberg (Facebook, now Meta).
But Trump, ever the political gladiator, responded during a “victory rally” on January 19, a day before his inauguration. He criticized Biden’s presidency as a “failed administration” and pledged to dismantle the “corrupt political establishment.” Trump declared: “Tomorrow, at noon, the curtain falls on four years of American decline, and we begin a new era of American strength, prosperity, dignity, and pride.”
The ongoing exchange of barbs between the outgoing and incoming U.S. presidents highlights the universal nature of politics and the common perception that all politicians are essentially the same, regardless of race, nationality, or ideology. This is evident as politicians routinely take shots at each other in their quest for power.
Given the overwhelming defeat of the Democratic Party in the November 2024 presidential election, one might expect outgoing President Biden to humbly acknowledge that Americans have rejected his political style and embraced Trump’s vision. However, Biden did not take this route. Instead, he chose to criticize Trump, labeling the incoming president as a threat to democracy. This was central to the Democratic Party’s campaign, which clearly failed to resonate with American voters, resulting in then Vice President Kamala Harris’s defeat by Trump.
Trump’s victory, with 49.8% of the vote (77,303,568 votes), has given the Republican National Convention (RNC) control over all branches of government—the presidency, the Senate, the House of Representatives, and a sympathetic Supreme Court. From January 20, 2025, Trump’s party, the Grand Old Party (GOP), began exerting significant influence, with Trump leading from the White House. With Elon Musk, the world’s richest man, appointed as the government efficiency czar and co-leading the newly established Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) alongside Vivek Ramaswamy, the “Trump Effect” is set to extend beyond the U.S. to Canada, Mexico, Panama, Greenland, and parts of Europe, especially the U.K., Germany, and France. Musk has further stirred the hornets nest by aligning with the Reform UK party, a right-wing populist movement and that has resulted in a surge in the party’s fortunes.
In Canada, the Trump Effect has already had significant consequences. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, facing a steep decline in popularity and a poor relationship with Trump from his first term, announced his resignation rather than risk an electoral defeat. Trump’s threats, including imposing a 25% tariff on Canada and even considering making it the 51st U.S. state, likely prompted Trudeau to visit Trump at Mar-a-Lago to seek a diplomatic resolution. However, Trump appeared unwilling to offer any reconciliation, leading Trudeau to step down rather than face the uncertainty of a re-election.
Meanwhile, in the U.K., Trump’s influence, supported by Musk, is also making waves in the form of the growing membership register. Remarkably, the Reform UK party, backed by both Trump and Musk, had earlier made significant electoral gains, putting pressure on the leadership of Prime Minister Keir Starmer of the Tory party, who now occupies 10 Downing Street, the seat of power. Threatened , Prime minister Starmer has spoken out vociferously against Musk.
So, the ripple effects of the Trump Effect are clearly being felt beyond the U.S., unsettling political leadership across the globe.
The impact of Trump’s return to the White House extends beyond Canada and the UK, with European nations, from France to Germany, also feeling his influence. The Middle East is not immune either. On the eve of Trump’s presidency, a ceasefire was brokered after more than 400 days of conflict between Israel and Hamas, which had resisted earlier attempts for peace under the Biden administration. Trump’s firm stance, including his threat of “fire and fury” if both parties didn’t reach an agreement, played a crucial role in securing this ceasefire, something his critics would likely downplay.
China, too, faces the possibility of a 60% tariff as Trump’s policies impact the global stage. Notably, the Chinese vice president attended Trump’s inauguration as a special representative of President Xi JinPing. However, Africa seems to be the one region where Trump’s direct impact has yet to unfold, though his stance on deporting undocumented immigrants may affect the continent. Despite past tensions, Trump’s deeper understanding of Africa—fueled by his daughter Tiffany’s marriage into a Lebanese, French, Nigerian and American family—suggests he may take a more positive approach toward the continent.
I would wager a bet that Trump is unlikely to abandon policies like the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), which offers African nations tariff-free access to U.S. markets.
Long before his race for the White House, for a second time , l had written numerous articles in my column in November and December 2022 trying to clear the fog of misconceptions about Trump amongst blacks. Two of the articles titled: “The Donald Trump Africans Don’t Know” and “The Donald Trump Magnus Onyibe Do not Know” sought to present Trump as a political figure who is race neutral and believes in lawful and orderly migration hence he seems to deemed to be a hater of Africans other non caucasian races.
The broader geopolitical changes brought by Trump’s presidency, even before his official inauguration, seem to signal the dawn of a new world order, as predicted by political scientist Francis Fukuyama. While Fukuyama envisioned a globalized world driven by liberal democracy and free-market capitalism, Trump’s rise marks a departure from this idea, with an emphasis on nationalism and skepticism toward international institutions.
The new global order predicted by Fukuyama entails a reversal of the old order and Trump, in my view, appears to be the trigger for the new world order through his America first agenda.
With allies like Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg, both of whom wield immense global influence, Trump’s impact will not be confined to U.S. politics alone. Their business acumen will also shape the global economic and political landscape, making substantial changes to systems that have long remained rooted in tradition. The global business environment, where both Musk and Zuckerberg have significant sway, will likely be swept up in these changes.
The world is witnessing a transformation not just in technology and economic systems but also in governance. Despite the traditional slowness of democratic institutions to evolve, the change brought by Trump challenges this orthodoxy. Just as advancements in telecommunications from the days of landlines and messaging via telegram to the current change to cell phones, email , internet , instagram, Facebook , twitter and change of money from cowry, coins and currency notes and now to crypto currency, which are revolutionization of the respective fields/aspects of life, the political world may soon experience a similar shift which if you ask me,has been long overdue. The tension between preserving democratic traditions and embracing change is complex, but Trump’s mandate from the American people suggests that a new political order is on the horizon, one that will influence not only the U.S. but the entire world.
Ultimately, whether the world is ready for it or not, Trump has returned as the leader of the free world, and humanity must prepare for the changes he intends to implement, both domestically and globally.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Magnus Onyibe, an entrepreneur, public policy analyst, author, democracy advocate, development strategist, alumnus of the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, Tufts University, Massachusetts, USA, and a former commissioner in the Delta State government, sent this piece from Lagos, Nigeria.
