Early signs point to return of disorder under Trump’s second term

Although Donald Trump is still a month away from assuming the presidency, he has already demonstrated his remarkable ability to stir controversy and dominate headlines with dismissive comments about Canada, confrontations with the media, and derailing a budget deal in Congress.

“We’re going to see more chaos in Trump’s second term than his first,” said Todd Belt, political science professor at George Washington University. “I think what has happened this week is a good indication of what is to come.”

He added that a Supreme Court ruling that grants presidents sweeping immunity for official acts will give Trump “more of an opportunity to act on his worst impulses.”

The Republican has stolen the limelight from outgoing President Joe Biden, who has largely disappeared from public view in his final weeks in office.

On Monday, Trump gave his first news conference since winning the November 5 election, talking to journalists for more than an hour about various topics — and savoring the attention.

“Everyone wants to be my friend,” he said when commenting on the visits of various billionaire tech CEOs and other leaders to his Florida residence, which he will leave on January 20 for the White House.