Six months into his second term in the White House, Donald Trump has failed to deliver his promise to be a peacemaker on the international scene and has deepened deep divisions within the US.

 

During five rounds of talks on reviving the 2015 accord limiting Iran's nuclear programme in exchange for lifting sanctions Trump's envoy Steve Witkoff and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi failed to achieve a breakthrough. Tehran insisted on retaining its right to enrich uranium on its soil while the US demanded zero enrichment. Nevertheless, Trump claimed an agreement was close, indicating this could come about during the sixth round on June 15th. However, determined to torpedo this round and any deal, Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu mounted his longed-for military offensive against Iran, its nuclear facilities and scientists, and its senior military and intelligence officers. Iran has responded by firing hundreds of ballistic missiles and drones into Israel. Trump has said the US is not involved although he was forewarned and has supplied Israel with hellfire missiles ahead of the attack. Trump has not demanded Netanyahu desist and warned that the conflict could become "even more brutal." Instead of peacemaking, Trump has become an outright warmonger.

 

While Trump proclaimed that he would end the Ukraine war on his first day in office, Russian forces have advanced into Ukrainian territory, consolidated their positions, and recruited fresh troops. Trump has openly displayed personal admiration for Russian President Vladimir Putin but when Trump has spoken to him, he has shown no interest in negotiating an end to the war on terms acceptable to Kyiv.

 

Trump originally blamed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky for starting the war although Russia invaded that country in February 2022. Trump not only clashed with Zelensky over his failure to show gratitude to the US during an Oval Office meeting in February but also told him to leave the White House. By the time of their meeting in April at the Vatican, Trump had flip-flopped. He called for an unconditional ceasefire as a prelude to peace talks, a position adopted by Ukraine but rejected by Russia. He suggested imposing sanctions on Russia but has not followed through on this proposition.

 

Trump's return to office prompted Israel to agree to a January 19th-March 18th ceasefire in the Gaza war with Hamas. But Trump’s golf partner businessman envoy Steve Witkoff failed not only to secure renewal but also to convince Israel to lift Its March 2nd blockade of water, food, medicine, and fuel , turning the strip into what the UN has called "the hungriest place on earth."

 

In an attempt to counter bitter criticism of Israel and allied US, they cofounded the so-called Gaza Humanitarian Foundation. UN and international relief organisations have said this organisation violates humanitarian norms and involves "militarisation" of essential supplies for 2.3 million Palestinians in Gaza. Deliveries of aid parcels at one-to-four hubs in southern and central Gaza have turned into chaotic scrums by fit young men while women, children and the elderly are denied aid. Hundreds of aid seekers have been killed and wounded. Un rights chief Volker Turk said on Monday that Israel's "means and methods of warfare are inflicting horrifying, unconscionable suffering on Palestinians in Gaza" where in nearly 20 months, Israel's unending military offensive has killed 55,400 people.

 

On the home front, Trump has stoked opposition to his rule by enacting policies by signing decrees without consulting the legislature or judiciary. This inspired millions of people in more than 1,000 cities to protest last weekend against his policies and actions. Millions have been infuriated with his plan to deport migrants living in the US. In response, he seeks to focus on migrants in major Democrat cities across the country.

 

He has vowed to expel 10-13 million migrants - documented and undocumented and green card holders who are permanent residents. Trump has sent immigration teams to snatch people from homes, sanctuary sites, churches, places of work, and schools. Detained migrants have been denied access to legal processes and appeals to which they are entitled. When central Los Angeles erupted in protests, he placed the California National Guard under federal orders and dispatched several hundred marines to guard federal office buildings. California Governor Gavin Newsom complained that local forces had the situation under control.

 

The economy of California, the largest state in the US and fourth largest in the world, depends on foreign workers who constitute one in three workers in the state. They are engaged in many sectors of activity: agriculture, tourism, restaurants, high-tech, construction, forestry, fishing, food production, transportation, and utilities. Texas, Florida, New York, and New Jersey also have large immigrant populations and are heavily reliant on them. Migrants pay taxes, rents, and local rates and participate in and are customers of a wide range of businesses.

 

It is ironic that Trump should target migrants. His grandparents were migrants from Bavaria, his mother a migrant from a Scottish island, and two of this three wives were migrants from Eastern Europe.