Trump inauguration: political analysis from Suffolk expert
Donald Trump is officially becoming the 47th President of the United States today
Donald Trump is to be officially inaugurated today (January 20) for his second term in office.
He is becoming the 47th President of the United States, with Dr Duncan Weaver, who leads the Master's course in International Relations at the University of Suffolk, sharing his insights on the implications of Trump’s return to the White House.
"It's a time of great anticipation... when the world's chess pieces are being moved with great caution"
Dr Weaver told us Trump's return will have implications for politics around the world: "It's a time of great anticipation...
"When the world's chess pieces are being moved with great caution...
"Some of the rhetoric surrounding NATO and United Nations support is initially reassuring, but we really need to watch and wait.
"Until these different nominations enter the highest levels of U.S. government and arguably world affairs, we're not really going to know what's what."
"Trump will be focusing on surrounding himself with the most loyal people"
Dr Weaver also reckons Trump will be looking to do some things different during his second term: "The first Donald Trump presidency was, amongst other things, characterised by a very high turnover of staff.
"It will be very interesting to see whether that is repeated or not.
"I think the sentiment at the moment is that Trump will be focusing on surrounding himself with the most loyal people."
He also reaffirmed that other world leaders will have to take note, and work with the returning President: "What the United States does and says has an impact on world affairs.
"It sets a precedent for world affairs and it can sometimes empower political actors in other countries...
"It is in everyone's interests to work together at this difficult time in world affairs.
"We have economic fragility, we have security fragility in terms of multiple conflicts on multiple fronts around the world.
"It is in everyone's interests, especially in the North Atlantic region, that NATO allies work fruitfully with one another on shared issues and shared agendas.
"What we'll see from the UK Government in the coming weeks and months is an overt and deliberate commitment to that."