Life -Simple but complex -Episode 2- The Trump Effect: Rising Tensions in a Changing World

 

Life — Simple But Complex: Episode 2

The Trump Effect: Rising Tensions in a Changing World (Part 1)

(Translation of the article published in Taniniram,malayalam daily on 29th June 2026)

US President Donald Trump, whose actions are making life exceptionally complicated for people across the globe, has spent the last three months at the center of intense controversy, plunging the world into fuel shortages, economic crises, and widespread anxiety. His decisions carry enough weight to disrupt the life of a housewife in a remote village in Kerala, pushing her into hardship and despair. Trump's ultimate trump card is his absolute conviction that he can repeat such disruptive maneuvers whenever he pleases.

Trump was the fourth of five children born to Fred Trump, a first-generation American of German descent, and Mary Anne McLeod, a Scottish immigrant. Fred, a prominent figure in the construction industry, built 27,000 apartments for veterans in the years following World War II. Despite accumulating a $300 million fortune by the time he passed away in 1999, Fred remained remarkably frugal. He insisted that his children perform regular household chores and manual labor regardless of their wealth. Meanwhile, Donald's mother, Mary, dedicated much of her time to charity work.

Donald displayed a distinct lack of discipline from an early age, frequently causing trouble both at school and in his neighborhood. From kindergarten through eighth grade at a private school in Queens, he proved to be a constant headache for school authorities. Beyond throwing spitballs, disrupting classes, and pulling girls' hair, he would race bicycles through the neighborhood to terrify passersby. When Donald was thirteen, Fred discovered that his son was regularly slipping away to Manhattan on weekends with a friend to buy switchblades and other items meant to intimidate people.

Valuing discipline, order, and hard work above all else, Fred realized his son was teetering on the edge of delinquency. Consequently, in 1959, Fred enrolled Donald in the New York Military Academy—a strict boarding school in Cornwall-on-Hudson run by former military officers—to curb his aggressive nature. It was an environment defined by bugle calls, uniform inspections, rigid marching drills, and severe punishments for infractions.

Fortunately, the academy’s heavy emphasis on athletics and physical fitness allowed Donald to channel his erratic energy. Highly athletic and fiercely competitive, he eventually became the captain of the baseball team and played both football and basketball. Instead of flouting school rules, his aggressive drive was redirected toward winning sports competitions. He spent those years under the direct, watchful eye of Theodore Dobias, a tough physical education instructor and World War II veteran. Under Dobias, who did not hesitate to administer severe physical discipline, Trump learned to respect authority and regulate his behavior.

Instead of rebelling against the harsh military regime, Donald adapted to it. Learning to navigate the hierarchy and apply himself, he rose to the rank of cadet captain before graduating from the academy in 1964. This rigorous training laid the foundation for the mental resilience and sheer determination he would display later in life. He went on to earn a degree in economics from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.

Upon completing his studies, Donald was brought into the family business by his father, who handed him significant responsibilities. This period allowed Donald to prove to his father that he could run an enterprise successfully, regardless of the tactics he deployed. However, during this time, serious allegations of racial discrimination surfaced against the Trump Company. The US Department of Justice filed a lawsuit, which the company ultimately resolved by signing a consent decree pledging not to discriminate against Black applicants.

In hindsight, this early pattern of aggressive pushing followed by tactical retreat mirrors his modern geopolitical strategy—a style evident today as Trump, after facing heavy pushback in his standoff with Iran, ultimately signed a peace treaty and withdrew.

(To be continued)