Analyst: Trump’s first 100 days sparked global govt shifts
Political analyst Asanda Ngoasheng asserts that the first 100 days of US President Donald Trump's administration triggered significant global political shifts, affecting not only domestic affairs but also relationships with key international partners.
Trump marked his 100th day in office on Wednesday amid ongoing scrutiny of his foreign and economic policies.
Ngoasheng emphasized that Trump’s policy direction—especially regarding African-focused programmes—has raised serious concerns.
She cited the administration’s trade protectionism, particularly the uncertainty surrounding South Africa’s status in the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), as already harming the country’s agricultural exports to the US.
“We starting to see more South African produced and grown products that would ordinarily been exported to the US, but with the chopping and changing of trade tariffs, it means that it is impossible for farmers to actually send their goods to America because they don’t know if by the time the fruits arrive in America, they don’t know how much they are going to cost, they could cost double or triple."
Ngoasheng noted that tensions have grown between South Africa and the US during Trump’s early presidency, particularly around South Africa’s foreign policy decisions and the controversial land reform proposal aimed at redistributing land without compensation.
She also highlighted diplomatic strains, including the removal of South Africa’s ambassador to the U.S., Ebrahim Rasool, which left a vacuum in bilateral engagement during a time of increasing tension.
“South Africa and America have always been able to clear up any conflicts and come to a point of agreement, but in this 100 days, the relationship has been sour to a point where the US has actively recruited South African white Afrikaaners to come to America under the claims that there was a genocide against white people in SA, which was an absolute lie that has been proven many and many times.”
Ngoasheng added that the relationship between Trump and South African-born tech billionaire Elon Musk also requires close scrutiny.
Musk, who has had a fluctuating relationship with the US government, reportedly stepped down from a senior advisory role tied to government efficiency initiatives after Tesla's stock faced backlash amid controversial political alignments.
With Trump’s approval rating sitting at 43% and disapproval at 53% as of May 2025, Ngoasheng interpreted this as evidence of growing public disillusionment.
“When this government took over, they were a major world superpower, they didn’t have this level of economic crisis and people were employed. Elon Musk became one of the most hated men in the world because of what people felt his impact on Donald Trump was and the activities and actions that have taken America to its current position which is far less to what it was,” Ngoasheng told Jacaranda FM News.
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