The year 2025 revolved around President Trump

THE ASIAN INDEPENDENT UK

Evidently, 2025 has been a challenging year for many of us. It can be described as an annus horribilis, a truly difficult year. As I got up on New Year’s morning and prepared for the day ahead, my routine was the same: Breakfast was breakfast, my neighbourhood looked the same, and my car ran the same way on the same road. Nothing really seems to have changed. Or has it? But while watching the news and reading the newspapers, nations around the world are making significant changes to public security in light of a year of hate crime incidents that have had widespread effects, leaving people feeling less safe, secure or hopeful. Because we are being plagued by both new and old players in the international crop of states and organisations that thrive on setting the West and its citizens on edge. Amidst ongoing fighting, mounting casualties and a worsening humanitarian crisis, the future remains uncertain.

Actually, After Trump’s Second Term- following his inauguration as the 47th U.S. President, Donald Trump signed executive orders to withdraw from the Paris Agreement and the World Health Organization.

While the US House of Representatives had a challenging year, After years of public speculation, Congress passed the Epstein Files Transparency Act on November 18, 2025, which President Trump signed the following day.

Over 550 pages were released fully blacked out, leading Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer to call the release “one of the biggest cover-ups in American history”.

Despite popular theories, the DOJ issued a memo in July 2025 stating that no formal “client list” exists and no evidence was found that Epstein used his activities to blackmail prominent figures.

While the DOJ and FBI reaffirmed their conclusion that Epstein’s death was a suicide, supported by released jail surveillance footage.

The 2025 releases provided new details on Epstein’s network but also faced criticism for heavy redactions.

Indeed! the cache included never-before-seen photos of Bill Clinton, Michael Jackson, Mick Jagger, and Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor (Prince Andrew).

Also, documents detailed an alleged 1990s encounter where Epstein introduced a 14-year-old girl to Donald Trump. A previously seen photo of Trump with Epstein and Maxwell was initially removed from the DOJ site but later reinstated after public outcry.

Moreover A 238-page book from 2003 was released containing messages from friends like Bill Clinton, Alan Dershowitz, and Vera Wang. It included a crude drawing and message purportedly signed by Trump, which he has denied.

Also, thousands of emails from the Epstein estate were released, showing communication with prominent figures like Peter Thiel, Steve Bannon, Elon Musk, and former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers (who stepped back from public duties following the revelations).

Many view the release as “political gamesmanship”. Some argue Trump’s shift was a calculated move to “own the libs” or change the narrative as he faced losing a House vote on the matter.

While globally 2025, President Donald Trump has fundamentally shifted U.S. policy toward Ukraine, transitioning from the Biden administration’s open-ended military aid to a strategy centered on rapid, negotiated peace.

Trump has initiated a “28-point plan” to end the war, which reportedly includes major concessions to Russia, such as Ukraine remaining outside of NATO for a specified period and potential territorial concessions. As of late December 2025, talks between the U.S., Ukraine, and Russia are ongoing in locations like Berlin and Miami, with Trump stating a deal is “closer than ever”.

The 2023–2025 Gaza War is a conflict between Israel and Palestinian militant groups, primarily Hamas. As of late 2025, the war has reached its two-year mark, characterized by unprecedented destruction in the Gaza Strip and significant regional escalation.

By late 2025, the reported death toll in Gaza has exceeded 65,000–70,000 people, many of them women and children. Over two-thirds of all buildings in the Gaza Strip have been damaged or destroyed.

While Humanitarian Impact: – a “complete siege” imposed by Israel led to acute shortages of food, water, and fuel. By August 2025, the United Nations confirmed famine conditions in Gaza City.

Genocide Accusations: In late 2025, a UN report concluded there were reasonable grounds to believe Israel had committed genocidal acts in Gaza, a charge Israel vehemently denies.

Also, Trump administration has linked trade and immigration through aggressive tariff threats and an unprecedented mass deportation campaign.

President Trump has utilized tariffs as a primary tool for “coercive diplomacy” to force neighboring countries to curb illegal migration and drug trafficking.

Mexico and Canada: On February 3, 2025, Trump imposed a 25% additional tariff on all imports from Mexico and Canada, citing a national emergency due to the “extraordinary threat” of illegal aliens and fentanyl. He stated these would remain until the flow of drugs and people “stops completely”.

While a 10% additional tariff was imposed on Chinese goods simultaneously for similar reasons regarding drug flow.

And Colombia diplomatic spat in January 2025 where briefly barred deportation flights, Trump hit the country with a 25% retaliatory tariff (with threats to raise it to 50%), forcing Colombia to resume accepting the flights.

The administration launched the “largest deportation program in American history” in early 2025. ( mostly Indians)

Canada become the “51st state”. His administration has combined these territorial ambitions with aggressive trade measures and national security demands.

The “Governor” Taunt: Trump has repeatedly mocked Canadian leadership by referring to the Prime Minister as “Governor” and Canada as the “Great State of America”.

While ruling out military invasion, Trump has vowed to use “economic force”—specifically broad tariffs—to pressure Canada into joining the U.S.

2025 Trade War: In February 2025, Trump imposed 25% tariffs on all Canadian goods, citing border security and fentanyl concerns. By mid-2025, new tariffs reached up to 35% on certain exports.

Canadian Response: The proposals led to a surge in Canadian nationalism and a significant political shift, contributing to the resignation of Justin Trudeau and the rise of Prime Minister Mark Carney. Canada has responded with billions in retaliatory tariffs

Trump’s U.S. policy toward Mexico in 2025 has centered on strict border enforcement and a rhetorical reassertion of American dominance.

Tariff Threats: Like Canada, Mexico has faced threats of 25% tariffs unless it completely stops the flow of drugs and migrants.

Global Leadership Changes: Canada saw Mark Carney become Prime Minister following Justin Trudeau’s resignation. Friedrich Merz was elected Chancellor of Germany, and Sanae Takaishi became Japan’s first female Prime Minister.

“Gulf of America”: In a symbolic move, Trump issued an executive order to rename the Gulf of Mexico the “Gulf of America,” claiming it has a “beautiful ring”.

Trade Blockades and Tariffs: The U.S. announced a maritime blockade of sanctioned Venezuelan shipping and initiated a “protectionist offensive” with 25% tariffs on Canada and Mexico and 10% on China.

Ceasefire in Gaza: A U.S.-brokered ceasefire was reached in the Israel-Hamas war, allowing for the return of hostages, though the humanitarian situation remains dire.

Syrian Regime Change: The fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime in Syria opened an uncertain political transition and disrupted regional synthetic drug markets.

Germany’s New Chancellor: Friedrich Merz and the CDU won federal elections, leading to a new center-right government.

Russia-Ukraine War: The conflict entered its fourth year, marked by a highly contentious televised meeting between Presidents Trump and Zelenskyy that ended with a temporary suspension of U.S. aid.

Historic Firsts: Sanae Takaishi became Japan’s first female Prime Minister, while South Korea faced domestic turmoil following the arrest of President Yoon Suk Yeol.

India-Pakistan Tensions: Relations worsened significantly following a major terror attack in April, leading to India launching “Operation Sindoor” against terror bases.

Central Asia Ties: Japan launched a new leaders-level dialogue with five Central Asian nations to strengthen supply chains and critical mineral resilience.

In 2025, India’s news cycle was dominated by a major military conflict with Pakistan, significant political shifts in state assemblies, and landmark space and economic achievements.

The Spark: On April 22, 2025, a terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, killed 26 civilians, leading to a breakdown in diplomatic ties.

Military Action: In May, India launched Operation Sindoor, conducting missile and air strikes on nine terror hideouts in Pakistan. This led to a four-day conflict featuring the first “drone war” between the nations.

Assembly Elections: The BJP won a two-thirds majority in the Delhi Legislative Assembly in February, with Rekha Gupta later named Chief Minister. In Bihar, the NDA retained power with an increased mandate in November.

President’s Rule in Manipur: Following prolonged ethnic violence and the resignation of CM N. Biren Singh, the Union Government imposed President’s Rule in Manipur in February 2025.

Gaganyaan Progress: ISRO dispatched the crew module for the first uncrewed mission of Gaganyaan in January. Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla became the second Indian to go to space as part of the Axiom-4 mission in June.

Economic Milestone: India surpassed Japan to become the world’s 4th largest economy in 2025 with a GDP of approximately $4.19 trillion.

NISAR Launch: The NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) satellite was successfully launched in late July to monitor global environmental changes.

Air India Flight 171: A Boeing 787 crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad in June, resulting in 260 fatalities.

Cricket: India won the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy for a record third time in March. Stalwart Virat Kohli announced his retirement from Test cricket in May.

UNESCO Heritage: The Maratha Military Landscapes were designated as World Heritage Sites in July.

Awards: Writer Banu Mushtaq won the 2025 International Booker Prize for her anthology Heart Lamp, the first Kannada work to receive the honor.

The most notable peace award of 2025 is the Nobel Peace Prize, which was awarded to Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado.

Controversy: The award faced criticism from some groups, including the Norwegian Peace Council, which canceled its participation, citing Machado’s political ties and questioning her alignment with non-violence values. Additionally, Donald Trump was a high-profile nominee, leading to claims of “politics over peace” from the White House after he did not win.

FIFA Peace Prize: FIFA announced plans to award a new peace prize at the World Cup draw in December 2025.

In 2025, Jewish communities globally have faced a significant escalation in violent attacks and security threats, highlighted by a major terrorist mass shooting in Australia and targeted violence in Europe and North America.

Bondi Beach Mass Shooting (Australia): On December 14, 2025, two gunmen (a father and son, Sajid and Naveed Akram) attacked a “Chanukah by the Sea” celebration at Sydney’s Bondi Beach. The attack killed 15 people, including a child and a Holocaust survivor, and injured dozens more. Australian authorities declared it a terrorist act, with reports indicating the attackers had pledged allegiance to the Islamic State.

Manchester Synagogue Attack (UK): On October 2, 2025 (Yom Kippur), a man drove a vehicle into pedestrians at the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue before stabbing several people. Two individuals were killed and three seriously injured.

I may be optimistic, but the period of dangerous destabilisation, conflict, Tariff war, illegal deportation might continue this year as Trump is still here for another 3 years. If ever we needed leadership, now is the time. We need to hang on for a not-so-happy New Year.

SURJIT SINGH FLORA