When a powerful storm strikes a great tree, its branches may tremble and shake violently, its leaves may fall to the ground, and even its great trunk may squeak under the immense pressure. Yet amid this chaos of slashing wind and violent trashing, the trees’ roots dig themselves ever so deeply into the ground, reinforcing the trees’ stability for the typhoons ahead. This storm may feel like the worst thing to happen to a great tree, leading only to destruction, but only in the storm’s wrath can the tree find its own power, resilience, and rebirth. In the sphere of the current economic and political state of the world, Donald Trump has caused a kind of wind that greatly resembles such a storm. All citizens of the world and even Americans themselves can see with their very own eyes the roots of our society either cracking or forcing themselves to dig deeper.
Let’s first look into the current state of the American economy. Upon his recent return to the Oval Office, which doesn’t feel very recent, the National Debt of the US has skyrocketed past $37 trillion USD and is fast approaching 124% of the US GDP (USA Facts, 2025). Additionally, estimates indicate that lifetime losses for a middle-class household in the US are projected to be approximately $22,000 (Boller, 2025). These numbers carry significant importance, as they signify even greater pressure on middle- and working-class Americans. The deep roots of prosperity and durability are in danger, as the global tree trashes while Trump’s storm intensifies.
The spotlight next falls on the roots of democracy and the protection of human rights. These face an imminent threat. Under Trump’s regime, safeguards that protect human rights have been reversed or completely ignored. Trump has issued significant executive orders that have many critics labelling them as unconstitutional, but more importantly, illegal (Cohen, 2025). This signifies that the very soil around the roots is not only purposefully being allowed to shift but is also eroding and rotting.
Then we look at the rest of the world, which Trump has significant influence over. The foreign and trade policies that Trump has introduced have shaken America’s Allies and tarnished institutional trust, which has made the world an even more uncertain place. For instance, the reintroduction of travel bans on citizens wanting to visit the US from 12 countries drastically changes the set global norms (Mason, 2025). Hence, this metaphorical storm didn’t stay at its origin but has spread, and its ripples are damaging global engagement and collaboration. Roots of partnerships are loosening, and the tree begins to sway.
This metaphor unfortunately illustrates a pattern that history can warn us about. The person whos own autocratic rise closely resembles that of Donald Trump was Adolf Hitler. He himself greatly benefited from Germany’s economic decline, the unrest of the people, backbreaking debt, and scape goating ethnicities. Trumps own comments, policies, and executive orders seem aim to invite populism, demonisation of a people, and the essential breaking of democratic values. The storm is worsening and the tree is at risk of falling now.
To draw again from the metaphor, one can only hope that the US democratic institutions will persist like our hypothetical tree, and its roots will be stronger than ever. The hurricane of debt, warfare, and humanitarian crisis that now surrounds the world will pass. We as citizens must persevere and hold together like intertwined roots.
Trumpism may be a storm raging at the moment. But in the battle to cling to our soil we will dig deeper and hold the tree of our society further and be prepared for the next storm.
Bibliography:
Facts, U. (2024). How much debt does the US have? | USAF acts. [online] USAFacts. Available at: https://usafacts.org/answers/how-much-debt-does-the-us-have/country/united-states/ [Accessed 1 Nov. 2025].
Boller, L.J., Huntley, J., Carmody, K., Reichling, F., Smetters, K. and Paulson, M. (2025). Penn Wharton Budget Model. [online] Penn Wharton Budget Model. Available at: https://budgetmodel.wharton.upenn.edu/issues/2025/4/10/economic-effects-of-president-trumps-tariffs? [Accessed 2 Nov. 2025].
Mason, J. and Bose, N. (2025). Trump reinstates US travel ban, bars citizens of 12 countries. Reuters. [online] 5 Jun. Available at: https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/trump-signs-proclamation-banning-travel-12-countries-cbs-news-reports-2025-06-04/ [Accessed 31 Oct. 2025].
Cohen, S. (2025). Tracking the Trump Administration’s Harmful Executive Actions. [online] Congressman Steve Cohen. Available at: https://cohen.house.gov/TrumpAdminTracker [Accessed 1 Nov. 2025].
Ramzi – Selim Hikmet