Much can happen in 100 days — as the new US president has already proven.
In his second term as president since his January 20 inauguration, Donald Trump has instigated several changes, including a sweeping review of government spending and global tariffs.
A Channel 4 documentary, Trump Revolution: 100 Days That Changed the World, went behind the scenes of Trump’s presidency on Thursday, April 24. Featuring insight from insiders and analysts, the programme examined events from the first quarter of the year — and what they could mean for the months ahead.
Trump’s whirlwind return to office has already triggered unprecedented political and economic upheaval, with global stock markets plunging and governments scrambling to respond.
So, as Trump marked 100 days in office on Wednesday, April 30, here’s what he’s achieved so far.
Started a global trade war
Let’s start with the global tariffs Trump introduced, with China bearing the brunt. He imposed tariffs of up to 145 per cent on Chinese goods, prompting Beijing to retaliate with 125 per cent tariffs on US products.
A 10 per cent tax has also been applied to imports from most other countries, while higher tariffs on several nations have been temporarily suspended.
Trump argues that the measures will protect jobs and boost US manufacturing. However, prices are expected to rise, and the global economy has suffered badly.
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has since downgraded its global growth forecast, warning that the US will likely be the worst affected.
Held peace talks with Ukraine and Russia
In March, a 30-day ceasefire proposal between Russia and Ukraine was put forward during talks in Saudi Arabia. This was a significant milestone in the Trump administration’s bid to broker peace in the region after more than three years of full-scale war.
On 11 March, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and National Security Advisor Mike Waltz held hours-long talks with a Ukrainian delegation. Kyiv later announced its willingness to support an immediate ceasefire.
Another US team, led by special envoy Steve Witkoff, travelled to Moscow two days later to advance negotiations with Russian officials. After the meeting, Russian President Vladimir Putin said there was still “a lot ahead to be done” on the ceasefire proposal.
However, tensions quickly flared again following renewed attacks on Kyiv. President Trump clashed with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky over the terms of a potential agreement, criticising Mr Zelensky for refusing to acknowledge Russia’s occupation of Crimea.
Mr Zelensky reiterated Ukraine’s longstanding position that Crimea — annexed by Russia in 2014 — would never be ceded, stating: “There’s nothing to talk about here. This is against our constitution.”
Trump, who had a fraught meeting with Zelensky in the Oval Office in February, branded the remark inflammatory and an obstacle to peace efforts. In a post on social media, he said Crimea was lost “years ago” and “is not even a point of discussion”.
Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, is boasting on the front page of The Wall Street Journal that, “Ukraine will not legally recognize the occupation of Crimea. There’s nothing to talk about here.” This statement is very harmful to the Peace Negotiations with Russia in that…
— Donald J. Trump Posts From His Truth Social (@TrumpDailyPosts) April 23, 2025
Cancelled billions worth of climate grants
In March, the Trump administration cut $20 billion (£15bn) in funding for climate and environmental grants introduced under the Biden presidency, as part of a broader push to curb federal spending. The move followed several weeks of the project being paused.
In addition, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced plans to halt around $1.7bn (£1.3bn) in funding for more than 400 grants focused on environmental justice — and diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives.
Given Elon Musk a job
When Trump became president in January, he appointed billionaire and software entrepreneur Elon Musk head of the newly created Department of Government Efficiency (Doge).
Mr Musk claimed Doge’s mission was to reduce the $36 trillion (£27tn) US national debt, cut wasteful government spending and dismantle what he called the “tyranny of the bureaucracy”. Initially, he estimated the department could save up to $2tn (£1.5tn) a year, though he has since revised that figure.
However, Doge’s sweeping remit has triggered legal challenges, with Musk and his team criticised for a lack of transparency. Democrats have accused the department of misusing congressionally approved funds outside of presidential control — a charge the White House denies.
Unions, watchdog groups and state attorneys have filed several lawsuits against Doge and the wider administration. In one notable case, a judge blocked the department from accessing personal data held in US Treasury databases — just one of several court rulings curbing its cost-cutting measures.
Doge may soon take a back seat, as Mr Musk has announced he will shift focus back to Tesla from May, following a sharp decline in the company’s first-quarter profits.
Cut many federal roles
As part of Trump’s and Mr Musk’s efforts to downsize the federal government, thousands of federal workers have been laid off.
CNN reported in March that at least 121,361 staff from various federal agencies had lost their jobs. The lay-offs span diverse roles, including nurses, contract workers, lawyers and criminal investigators.
Shredded USAID
Trump has been working to dismantle the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). Staff members were initially put on leave shortly after Trump’s return to office, and soon after, the agency began recalling workers from missions worldwide.
Trump has stressed that his "America First" policy should be reflected in foreign spending. This has raised concerns within the international development community about the potential impact on humanitarian initiatives globally.
In March, staff were reportedly instructed to “shred as many documents” as possible and to burn classified files. This directive came after Senator Marco Rubio acknowledged that 83 per cent of USAID’s long-standing aid programmes had been terminated — a move that has alarmed both labour groups and employees.
Set eyes on Greenland
Since assuming the presidency for a second term, Trump has threatened to take control of Greenland, a semi-autonomous island governed by Denmark.
Trump said in a speech to Congress in March that Greenland’s independence was essential “for national security and international security.” He emphasised the islanders' right to self-determination and added, “If you choose, we welcome you into the United States of America.”
Fired his top general
The nation's top military leader, Charles Brown, who served as the US Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and advised the president and US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, was dismissed in February.
Trump announced Mr Brown's departure on social media. Mr Brown was the second black officer to hold the position in US history. The president also announced the replacement of five other senior officers.
Mr Hegseth had said Mr Brown needed to be dismissed due to his "woke" emphasis on diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives within the military.
Trump Revolution: 100 Days That Changed the World can be watched on Channel 4’s streaming service, All4
