Enough time to know?

President Donald Trump’s agenda has dramatically changed. He is about to celebrate his 100th day in office, and the major items he promised for his first 100 days while on the campaign trail have not come to pass.

The promised repeal and replacement of Obamacare is stymied. Tax reform is in limbo. The much ballyhooed wall on the country’s southern border has been dramatically truncated. The ban on immigrants has been stopped in the courts.

And, despite his unrelenting criticism of presidential leadership by executive order, he governs out of necessity by executive order after executive order. Many of these orders will have a dramatic effect on the country, but he is forced to act alone, lacking legislative success despite the fact his party has the majority in both the house and senate.

More perplexing is his lack of definitive policies.

This is particularly true in the foreign policy sphere.

One of the reasons is his apparent fascination with the use of military force. He has rocketed a Syrian military air base. He has dropped America’s largest non-nuclear bomb in Afghanistan.

At one point, he falsely claimed a U.S. navy “armada” was headed to North Korea. The threats of nuclear war are being discussed and debated more openly than since the Cuban Missile Crisis because of tensions with that country.

The world is tense, unsure of what will come next.

The president has been praised from both sides of the aisle for some of his decisions. He is satisfying many of his supporters and opponents alike. Many like his tough talk and swift action.

Still, these one-off actions do not meld into an articulated policy.

Many in America and around the world are concerned that little may be accomplished by the shotgun approach. Trump defends this by claiming he will not telegraph his moves and that he will continue to be unpredictable.

Right now, the actions around the world seem piece-meal and spontaneous, rather than steps in policies that will yield results that are tied to strategic goals.

So, the first 100 days are better marked by things he said he wouldn’t do than by what he said he would.

Normally, 100 days would be enough time to get a measure of a new president.

In this case, it is only enough time to be confused or concerned.

Gordon Forgey

Publisher