One major thing struck me about Donald Trump's first 100 days in office

In many ways the first 100 days since Donald Trump returned to office have been entirely predictable. Before he became President he told everyone what he was going to do - on immigration, global tariffs, Ukraine, Nato, government waste and the rest.

And then he did it. To pinch the popular Ronseal tagline from the 1990s - "He does exactly what it says on the tin". But Trump's second stint in the White House has, so far, been even more chaotic than the first with dramatic changes coming at breakneck speed.

In the three months since he took the oath of office, the 47th president has deployed his power in a way that compares to few predecessors.

It also takes place in the full glare of the public gaze, such is the Republican strongman's thirst for publicity.

The stacks of bound documents signed off with the elaborate stroke of a presidential pen and policy announcements made in all caps on social media, his blizzard of executive actions has reached into every corner of American life and beyond.

To his supporters, the shock-and-awe approach demonstrates an all-action president, delivering on his promises and enacting long-awaited reforms.

But his critics fear he is doing irreparable harm to his country, the global economy and upending parts of the rules-based world order that Washington helped build from the ashes of World War II.

It wouldn't be an overstatement to say that Trump's tariffs bombshell has sent shockwaves around the world.

We all knew it was coming, but the sheer drama and somewhat comic nature of his "Liberation Day" extravaganza still took the breath away.

The US President brandishing a board with a list of countries with their tariff levels while sat in the Rose Garden was extraordinary.

The market turmoil that followed has been talked of in the same breath as some of the major economic moments of the past 100 years - the Wall Street Crash of 1929, Black Monday, 2008's banking crisis and the impact of the Covid pandemic.

Britain has been hit hard, albeit not as badly as many other countries, with 25% tariffs on UK Steel and Car exports to the USA, as well as a universal 10% levy.

The all-out trade war with China is likely to have profound ramifications for years to come, reshaping global markets.

Domestically, US interest rates - including for home mortgages - are rising, and consumer confidence is down.

Unemployment is also ticking up, in part due to the growing number of federal employees forced out of their jobs.

The Federal Reserve Bank, along with economic experts, warn Trump's plan will shrink economic growth and possibly lead to a recession.

Polls show the president's approval ratings on his handling of the economy have tumbled, but many of his supporters are sticking with him.

And in former industrial areas hollowed out by the loss of manufacturing jobs, there are hopes that tariffs could even the global playing field.

Economic concerns aside, the one key area Trump is still largely strong in the public's eye is immigration.

Illegal border crossings are now at their lowest monthly total for more than four years.

While so far there haven't been the level of mass deportations that some hoped for, newly empowered immigration enforcement agents have taken action across the US in businesses, homes and churches.

Nothing sums up Trump's unpredictability than his approach to Foreign Affairs.

He ambitiously promised to end the war in Ukraine in one day, but it still rages on 99 days later.

The president's approach to dealing with Vladimir Putin lurches violently from one week to the next, a sign that the task at hand isn't as easy as he believed.

Just as erratic is his behaviour towards Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Two of the most iconic moments of 2025 encapsulate the Trumpian approach.

Trump and his vice-President JD Vance cutting up rough with the war hero in the Oval Office was truly jawdropping.

By contrast, the two presidents holding "constructive" talks as they sat face to face at the Vatican before the Pope's funeral was equally historic.

When it comes to the military, Trump's strongarm tactics have made a number of Nato countries boost, or consider increasing, their defence budgets - notably Britain.

His cutting of US Aid to cut costs at home also triggered similar action in the UK.

This was largely the responsibility of Elon Musk, the world's richest person, who vowed to slash trillions of dollars of waste.

Savings have been made but job losses have gone up in the short term.

Meanwhile, Trump's threat to annex Greenland from Denmark, make Canada the 51st state and take ownership of the Panama Canal have ruffled more than a few feathers.

But they have so far failed to come to fruition.

His first 100 days as Commander in Chief have been a rollercoaster. The next 1,361 promise more of the same.