Analysis: Tariffs, ICE raids and ‘gunboat diplomacy’ … Trump’s first year thrilled allies and shocked critics. What’s next?
Donald Trump’s first year back in the White House was a tumultuous 12 months that left heads spinning as the political world tried to keep up with the lightning-fast dismantling of whole agencies via DOGE and a strikingly aggressive “America First”-oriented foreign policy.
John Bowden20 January 2026 18:13
Watch live: Trump attends White House press briefing on one-year anniversary
President Donald Trump is expected to attend Tuesday’s White House press briefing to celebrate the first anniversary of his return to office.
Katie Hawkinson20 January 2026 17:55
Trump claims ‘no single person’ has done more for NATO than him
President Donald Trump claimed that “no single person, or President, has done more for NATO” than him.
“If I didn’t come along, there would be no NATO right now!!! It would have been in the ash heap of History. Sad, but TRUE!!! President DJT,” he wrote Tuesday on Truth Social.
“I am committed to finding a way forward on Greenland. Can’t wait to see you. Yours, Mark,” the message reads.
Katie Hawkinson20 January 2026 17:50
‘Amazing’: Trump rates his first year back in the White House
President Donald Trump told reporters Monday evening that his first year back in the White House has been “amazing.”
“Think of it, one year. I don’t think there’s been a term like it, I don’t think any president has had a better first year than we’ve had in terms of success,” Trump said.
Trump added that the U.S. is now the “hottest country in the world.”
The president is expected to make a rare appearance in the White House press briefing room Tuesday afternoon.
Katie Hawkinson20 January 2026 17:40
How do voters feel about Trump’s first year back in office?
Recent polls suggest the majority of U.S. voters disapprove of President Donald Trump’s first year in office.
About 58 percent of Americans called the first year of Trump’s second term a failure, according to a CNN poll published Friday.
In a recent Wall Street Journal poll, half of the voters surveyed said the economy has become worse in the past year under Trump, while 35 percent said it improved.
The president’s overall approval rating is also at 42 percent as of Tuesday, according to a daily polling average calculatedThe New York Times.
Katie Hawkinson20 January 2026 17:20
Trump says ICE ‘must start talking about the murderers … that they are capturing’
“They are saving many innocent lives! There are thousands of vicious animals in Minnesota alone, which is why the crime stats are, Nationwide, the BEST EVER RECORDED! Show the Numbers, Names, and Faces of the violent criminals, and show them NOW,” Trump wrote Tuesday on Truth Social.
“The people will start supporting the Patriots of ICE, instead of the highly paid troublemakers, anarchists, and agitators,” he added.
Trump’s post comes after a recent AP-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll found that only 38 percent of U.S. adults support Trump’s immigration agenda. About half of those surveyed also said the president has “gone too far” when it comes to deporting immigrants.
Katie Hawkinson20 January 2026 17:00
Trump goes on Truth Social posting spree
Trump shared posts on a range of topics, including debunked claims about election fraud in 2020, the Minnesota social services fraud investigation and his push to acquire Greenland.
Katie Hawkinson20 January 2026 16:40
Melania Trump celebrates president’s first year back in office
First Lady Melania Trump shared a social media post celebrating her husband’s first year back in office.
“A year ago today, I was entrusted to serve our country once again. Being First Lady is not just a privilege; it is a profound responsibility,” she wrote.
“As we continue on this journey together, we must remember that hope is a powerful force, and that our vision to create a brighter future for all is within reach. Thank you,” she added.
Her upcoming film, Melania, is set to premiere on January 29 at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.
President Donald Trump stands with First Lady Melania Trump at a New Year’s Eve event (Getty Images)
Katie Hawkinson20 January 2026 16:20
Trump has deported more than 500,000 people in the last year
President Donald Trump’s administration has deported more than 500,000 people over the last year.
The administration has deported about 230,000 people who were arrested in the U.S., as well as 270,000 at the border, according to a New York Times analysis of federal data.
Another 40,000 people have also signed up to “self-deport” in the last year, according to the outlet.
That brings the total to about 540,000 people, which is fewer than in the final two years of former President Joe Biden’s administration, according to the analysis.
Katie Hawkinson20 January 2026 16:12
Trump has signed 228 executive orders so far
President Donald Trump has signed 228 executive orders since kicking off his second term in the White House.
Last January, Trump also broke the record for the number of executive orders signed on the first day in office.
Katie Hawkinson20 January 2026 15:57