Trump 2018: Master of Tariffs, King of Twitter

Nawal Sayed

By Nawal Sayed

CAIRO, Dec. 29 (SEE) - U.S.

President Donald Trump has been the main topic of several news stories and

op-eds throughout the year of 2018. His news was either weird or controversial.

Trump’s decisions made in 2018

included many withdrawals from conventions and deals. However, his surprising

summit with North Korea’s Leader Kim Jong-un is deemed as one Trump’s rare

achievements.

He kept the world updated with all

his thoughts via tweeting approximately every day.

In this report, SEE sheds some light

on Trump’s top five controversial and weird actions in 2018.

Washington's
withdrawal from the nuclear agreement with Iran: Trump succeeded in fulfilling his electoral pledge and
withdrew from the nuclear agreement with Tehran in May, despite European
pressure and attempts to keep the agreement as it is.

U.S. President Donald Trump displays a presidential memorandum after announcing his intent to withdraw from the JCPOA Iran nuclear agreement in the Diplomatic Room at the White House in Washington, U.S., May 8, 2018. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo

said his country "wants to restore democracy" in Iran. No other

country followed the United States, even after the White House announced it

would punish any company dealing with Iran.

For its part, Iran remains committed

to the deal, and other signatories are looking for ways to help Tehran ease the

pain of US economic pressure.

The official name of the nuclear

deal is the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). It was an agreement

reached in July, 2015 by the P5+1 (the five permanent members of the United

Nations Security Council- China, France, Russia, United Kingdom, United States-

plus Germany.)

Master of
Tariff: In July,
2017, Trump told his advisors that he wants to impose "tariffs" and
one year later he got what he sought for. In Jan, 2018, he imposed tariffs on
some Chinese imports.

Self-described

"Tariff Man" started one trade war, with China, and headed off a

second by tweaking the North American Free Trade Agreement and giving it an

unpronounceable acronym, USMCA.

Moreover, in

Aug., Trump announced that the U.S. would slap a 25 percent tariff on cars

coming from the European Union.

Dozens
of resignations and dismissals:
The year of 2018 witnessed resignation and dismissal of many of the most
prominent White House's officials. The most significant was the dismissal of
Secretary of State Rex Tillerson in March following a crisis of confidence with
Trump, the dismissal of national security adviser Herbert Raymond McMaster and
the appointment of John Bolton instead.

In addition, the United States

delegate to the United Nations, Nicky Healy, left her post last October.

Justice Minister Jeff Sessions left office following his strained relationship

with Trump in November.

In December, White House Chief of

Staff John Kelly was announced as well as the resignation of Defense Minister

James Matisse following a dispute with Trump.

King of Tweets: Over the course of the year, Trump spoke in more than 40 crowds and conferences and kept the Twitter rate on his official Twitter account.

It was reported that Trump posted

more than 40,000 tweets since 2009. Also, he replied to many questions in dozens

of press conferences and meetings.

Mexico
Wall: Trump announced in October the
construction of a wall that prevents illegal immigrants from crossing into
Mexico from US states.

"We are building the wall while

we are talking," he said.

U.S. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump holds a sign supporting his plan to build a wall between the United States and Mexico that he borrowed from a member of the audience at his campaign rally in Fayetteville, North Carolina March 9, 2016. Trump was interrupted repeatedly by demonstrators during his rally. REUTERS/Jonathan Drake - RTSA418