>> THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION'S IMMIGRATION CRACK DOWN IS JUST ONE EXAMPLE OF THE CHANGES IN WASHINGTON THIS YEAR FROM AIDE AND FOREIGN POLICY TO TRADE AND BEYOND.

TRUMP HAS UP ENDED UNITED STATES DOCTRINE.

TRANSFORMING INSTITUTIONS AND REDEFINING AMERICA'S PLACE IN THE WORLD.

STAFF WRITER AT THE NEW YORKER JOINS MICHELLE MARTIN TO CUT THROUGH THE NOISE AND IDENTITY THE DEFINING THEMES OF THE PAST TEN MONTHS.

>> THANK YOU.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US ONCE AGAIN.

>> IT'S GREAT TO BE WITH YOU.

>> OBVIOUS HE WILL WE HAVE CALLED YOU BECAUSE YOU FOLLOWED POLITICS AND POLICY IN WASHINGTON AND AROUND THE WORLD FOR MANY YEARS.

WHAT ABOUT THIS YEAR STANDS OUT TO YOU AND I KNOW IT'S HARD TO PICK BECAUSE THERE HAVE BEEN SO MANY IMPORTANT EVENTS THIS YEAR.

ONE AFTER ANOTHER.

WHEN YOU JUST THINK ABOUT THE YEAR IN THE WHOLE.

WHAT STANDS OUT TO YOU?

>> I MEAN LOOK IF THE GOAL WAS TO OVERWHELM LET'S JUST SAY THEY ARE SUCCEEDING AND THEN SOME.

YOU KNOW I --IF ANYTHING I -- THE --YEAR HAS BEEN DEFINED BY A LEVEL OF DISRUPTION IN WASHINGTON THAT IS SOMETHING THAT I SUSPECT WE WILL ALL BE LOOKING BACK TO FOR A LONG TIME.

>> I'M THINKING ABOUT THE FIRST PART OF THE YEAR IS THAT I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO CALL.

THIS GROUP LED BY ELON MUSK WHOSE PROJECT SEEMEDDED TO BE TO DESTROY HUMANITARIAN AID AROUND THE WORLD AND THEN THE TARIFF POLICY.

THE MASS PARDONING OF JANUARY 6th DEFENDANTS ON INAUGURATION DAY.

THESE MOVES TO RESHAPE THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, PARTICULARLY WITH AN EYE TO THING THAT HAVE BEEN DISTURBING TO CONSERVATIVES LIKE THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND THINGS OF THAT SORT.

IS THERE ANYTHING THAT SHOWS A THROUGH LINE THROUGH ALL OF THAT?

>> YEAH.

YOU KNOW THAT IS --I THINK IMPORTANT FOR US TO TRY TO RE CREDIT, KON WITH.

AS I THINK OF IT, YOU KNOW, TRUMP 1.

0 YOU COULD SAY WAS THE COMPLETION OF WHAT TRUMP'S SON- IN-LAW CALLED THE HOSTILE TAKE OVER OF THE REPUBLICAN PARTY.

THAT WAS ACCOMPLISHED REALLY, YOU KNOW BY A COUPLE YEARS INTO TRUMP'S TERM I WOULD SAY.

YOU KNOW AS FIGURES LIKE JON McCAIN LEFT THE SCENE AND WERE REPLACED BY SUPPORTERS OF TRUMP AND HIS MAGA MOVE MEMBER.

I WOULD SAY IF THAT WAS 1.

2, TRUMP 2.

0 IS THE HOSTILE TAKE OVER OF WASHINGTON AND THE TURNING OF THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH OF THE UNITED STATES FEDERAL GOVERNMENT INTO AN EXTRAORDINARY PERSONAL PLATFORM FOR THE EXPANDED POWERS AND REACH OR OVER REACH AS THE CASE MAY BE ONE OF ONE MAN THIS IS SOMETHING THAT AGAIN I THINK WILL BE STUDYING FOR MANY, MANY DECADES TO COME WHICH IS THE POWER IN THE FORM OF ONE MAN IN THE OVAL OFFICE AND THE IDEA THAT THE CONGRESS HAS LARGELY STEPPED ASIDE INCLUDING EVEN GIVING UP MANY OF ITS CONSTITUTIONAL ASSIGNED FUNCTIONS.

THERE WHATS A MOMENT RECENTLY THAT WAS SO TELLING WHEN PRESIDENT TRUMP SAID, YOU KNOW, I FEEL LIKE I'M THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE AS WELL AS THE PRESIDENT AND IN SOME WAYS YOU CAN'T ARGUE WITH THAT.

AGAIN, THIS INCREDIBLE GATHERING OF PERSONALIZED EXECUTIVE POWER IN THE PRESIDENCY.

WE DON'T KNOW YET TO WHAT EXTENT IF AT ALL THIS TRUMP APPOINTED CONSERVATIVE MAJORITY IN THE SUPREME COURT MAY ACT TO CONSTRAIN HIM.

WE DIDN'T KNOW IF THE VOTERS ULTIMATELY WILL REBUKE THIS AND RESTRAIN IT OR ROLL IT BACK IN THE MIDTERMS.

FOR NOW, 2025 IS THE YEAR THAT AMERICA GOT A DIFFERENT KIND OF PRESIDENCY.

>> OF ALL THE THINGS THAT WE ARE THINKING ABOUT HERE WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THE YEAR.

THERE ARE THINGS THAT ARE REALLY VISIBLE INSIDE WASHINGTON.

THERE ARE THINGS THAT ARE VISIBLE OUTSIDE OF WASHINGTON.

WHAT ARE THE THINGS THAT YOU THINK MIGHT BE MOST VISIBLE OUTSIDE OF WASHINGTON?

>> HE SAID THAT HE WAS GOING TO BE THE PRESIDENT TO BRING BACK THE ECONOMY, WHO WAS GOING TO STOP INFLATION.

THE PRESIDENT WHO WAS GOING TO RESTORE KIND OF THE WAY THINGS WERE BEFORE THE COVID PANDEMIC DISRUPTED THE UNITED STATES AND THE WORLD.

THAT I THINK IS WHERE IT'S PRETTY REMARKABLE THAT HE HAS LOST --THE VERY PEOPLE WHO BROUGHT HIM BACK TO THE PRESIDENCY.

THOSE KIND OF NONFREQUENT VOTERS, THE INDEPENDENTS THAT YOUNG PEOPLE WHO THOUGHT OKAY, WELL THINGS AREN'T GOING WELL AND I'M REALLY UNHAPPY ABOUT THE STATE OF THINGS IN THE ECONOMY.

I'M UNHAPPY ABOUT HOW MUCH I HAVE TO PAY AND HERE WE ARE NOT EVEN A YEAR LATER AND IN FACT AMERICANS EVEN MORE UPSET ABOUT THE STATE OF THE ECONOMY THAN THEY WERE A YEAR AGO WHEN THEY ELECTED DONALD TRUMP TO FIX IT.

YOU KNOW HE PROMISED A LOT OF THINGS THAT HE WAS GOING TO DO ON DAY ONE HE PROMISED HE WAS GOING TO SETTLE THE WAR IN UKRAINE IN 24 HOURS.

HE HASN'T DONE THAT.

MOST IMPORTANTLY FROM THE POINT OF VIEW OF THE AMERICAN ELECTION HE PROMISED HE WAS GOING TO BRING PRICES DOWN ON DAY ONE OF HIS SECOND PRESIDENCY AND RESTORE THE ECONOMY.

INSTEAD WHERE WE ARE IS WE HAVE ESSENTIALLY THE SAME LEVEL OF INFLATION NOW THAT WE DID A YEAR AGO WHEN DONALD TRUMP WAS CAMPAIGNING AGAINST THE JOE BIDEN ECONOMY.

HE SAID THAT THE 3% INFLATION AT THAT TIME WAS LITERALLY LIKE THE WORST INFLATION IN THE HISTORY OF THE WORLD WHICH OF COURSE IT WASN'T.

IT WASN'T EVEN THE WORST INFLATION IN MODERN TIMES IN THE UNITED STATES.

DONALD TRUMP CAMPAIGNED AGAINST THAT LEVEL OF INFLATION.

A YEAR LATER WE HAVE 3% INFLATION ESSENTIALLY THE EXACT SAME NUMBERS THAT WE DID ON THE EVE OF THE ELECTION AND NOW DONALD TRUMP IS CALLING THIS ANNA FORDABLE.

THAT'S JUST NOT TRUE.

VERY SIMILAR, VERY SIMILAR IN SOME WAYS TO THE LEVEL OF DENIAL THAT WE SAW FROM THE FORMER PRESIDENT BIDEN.

>> LET'S TALK ABOUT IMMIGRATION.

HIS POLLS HAVE DECLINED.

MAYBE NOT WITH HIS COR, SUPPORTERS BECAUSE HE HAS A CORE GROUP WHO SEEM TO SUPPORT HIM NO MATTER WHAT BUT IT DOES SEEM THERE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT ARE DISTURBED BY THE WAY HIS IMMIGRATION POLICY IS UNFOLDING.

YOU KNOW THEY ARE SEEING THESE IMAGES OF PEOPLE, WOMEN BEING DRAGGED FROM THEIR CARS, PARENTS BEING ARRESTED IN FRONT OF THEIR KIDS WHEN THEY DROPPED THEM OFF.

HOW DO YOU THINK THIS IS PLAYING.

HOW DO YOU ASSESS HOW THIS IS GOING.

>> I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT T WAS SOMETHING NOT ONLY THAT TRUMP CAMPAIGNED ON BUT WAS VERY MUCH A FACTOR FOR HIS CORE SUPPORTERS AND I REMEMBER VIVIDLY BEING AT THE REPUBLICAN NATIONAL CONVENTION IN MILWAUKEE AND WHEN HE SAID MASS DEPORTATION NOW THERE WERE PREPRINTED SIGNS AND IT WAS ONE OF THE ONLY THINGS ASIDE FROM THE MENTION OF HIS NAME ITSELF THAT AUDIENCE REALLY WENT CRAZY FOR.

THEY WERE STIRRED UP AND RALLIED BY THAT.

THEY HELD UP THE MASS DEPORTATION NOW SIGNS.

THE OTHER ISSUE BY THE WAY THAT REALLY SEEMED TO EXCITE THAT CORE GROUP OF SUPPORTERS IT WAS ANY MENTION OF LIKE MEN PLAYING WOMEN'S SPORTS OR TRANSISSUES.

THOSE WERE THE TWO THINGS THAT REALLY SHOWED THE CULTURE WAR AS IT PLAYED OUT IN THE 2024 CAMPAIGN.

FLASH FORWARD.

HE IS EXECUTING ON THAT AS YOU SAID WE ARE NOW LIVING IN THIS WORLD OF THESE KIND OF HORRIBLE SHOCK VIDEOS.

DO YOU AVERT YOUR GAUZE, DO YOU FEEL YOU THAT NEED TO LOOK AT THEM BECAUSE IT'S WHAT'S HAPPENING IN YOUR COUNTRY.

IT'S A PAINFUL ASPECT OF KIND OF THE BACKDROP IF YOU WILL TO THE TRUMP 2.

4 PRESIDENCY.

YOU ALSO MENTIONED TRUMP'S DECLINING POLL NUMBERS.

THIS I THINK IS VERY SIGNIFICANT.

AGAIN AS I'M LOOKING FOR DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE FIRST TERM AND THE SECOND TERM.

DONALD TRUMP IN THE FIRST TERM WAS A VERY UNPOPULAR PRESIDENT.

THE MOST UNPOPULAR SINCE PUBLIC POLLING WAS TAKEN, OKAY.

CONSISTENTLY.

WHAT'S DIFFERENT IS THAT BACK IN THE FIRST TERM TRUMP WAS GENERALLY GETTING PRETTY GOOD MARKS ON THINGS LIKE THE ECONOMY, EVEN WHERE HE WAS SEEN AS PERSONALLY POLARIZING OR UNPLEASANT TO VOTERS.

THEY GAVE HIM FOR CREDIT FOR DELIVERING ON THE ECONOMIES EVEN IF THEY DON'T LIKE THE PERSONALITY.

NOW HE IS EVEN MORE UNDER WATER IN THE POLLS ON THINGS LIKE THE ECONOMY THAN HE IS OVERALL IN HIS NEGATIVE APPROVAL RATINGS.

G ACLU P JUST FOUND THAT TRUMP HAD THE LOWEST NUMBERS OF HIS TWO PRESIDENCIES INCLUDING A 60% DISAPPROVAL RATING BUT EVEN MORE DISAPPROVE ALON THE ECONOMY.

EVEN ON IMMIGRATION WHERE BROADLY SPEAKING EVEN MANY DEMOCRATS AND INDEPENDENTS HAD SUPPORTED THE IDEA OF CLOSING THE BORDER OR MAKING IT LESS PERM EAB LE.

A LOT OF DEMOCRATS BELIEVE THEIR OWN PARTY SCREWED UP AND JOE BIDEN SCREWED UP AS PRESIDENT IN ALLOWING OUT OF CONTROL ILLEGAL MIGRATION INTO THE COUNTRY.

WHILE THERE WAS A SUPPORT IN THE PUBLIC IT'S THESE TACTICS THAT YOU MENTIONED I THINK THAT HAVE REALLY STARTED TO CAUSE A BACKLASH.

YOU KNOW THE IDEA THAT IT'S NOT JUST THE CRIMINAL ILLEGAL MIGRANTS THAT HE INITIALLY TOLD US THAT HE WAS GOING TO GO AFTER BUT THAT IT'S REACHING INTO, YOU KNOW, ESSENTIALLY PEACEFUL, CIVIL SOCIETY IN WAY THAT PEOPLE DO NOT SUPPORT AND DID NOT EXPECT.

>> THE OTHER INTERESTING THING THAT'S HAPPENED THIS WEEK HATS RELATED TO IMMIGRATION IS THE NATIONAL SECURITY STRATEGY WAS RELEASED AND IT'S --IT SITES IMMIGRATION TO EUROPE AS A PROBLEM.

THE WAY IT WAS DESCRIBED IS WHAT --THE ERASURE OF CIVILIZATION DUE TO IMMIGRATION.

HOW DO YOU UNDERSTAND THAT AND WHAT DOES THIS TELL US ABOUT TRUMP'S VIEW OF THE RELATIONSHIP THAT HE THINKS THE UNITED STATES SHOULD HAVE WITH THE REST OF THE WORLD.

>> YEAH.

I MEAN THAT IS A PRETTY RADICAL DOCUMENT.

IT'S A PRETTY DISRUPTIVE DOCUMENT.

IT HAS A WORLD VIEW THAT IS VERY, VERY INCONSISTENT WITH THE WORLD VIEWS OF ANY MODERN PRESIDENT WHETHER DEMOCRATIC OR REPUBLICAN.

IT ESSENTIALLY ABDICATES AND SAID WE ARE MOVING ON FROM THE IDEA OF THE UNITED STATES AS THIS GLOBAL SUPER POWER AND GUARANTEEING THE LIBERAL ORDER.

I'M OLD ENOUGH TO REMEMBER WHEN AMERICAN PRESIDENTS USED TO SPEAK OF EXPORTING DEMOCRACY TO THE WORLD DONALD TRUMP IS NOW TALKING ABOUT EXPORTING RIGHT WING RACISM TO EUROPE WHICH IS REALLY SOMETHING REMARKABLE AS YOU MAY EXPECT.

THIS HAS OCCASION IN INCREDIBLE AMOUNT OF BOTH BACKLASH AND I THINK REALLY SOUL SEARCHING AMONG EUROPEAN LEADERS BECAUSE REALLY NOT JUST SINCE THE END OF THE COLD WAR BUT SINCE THE END OF WORLD WAR IT'S THE PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES AND WESTERN EUROPE THAT HAS BEEN THE ANCHOR OF GLOBAL SECURITY IN MANY WAYS AND WHAT DONALD TRUMP IS SAYING IS THAT ACTUALLY IN MY FIRST TERM I TALKED ABOUT PAY MORE FOR THE SECURITY NOW I'M SAYING, YEAH, I'M NOT REALLY IN ON THE DEAL.

IT TELLS YOU IN MANY WAYS MUCH WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW THAT THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE REACTED FAVORABLY TO THE NEW NATIONAL SECURITY STRATEGY OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA IS A KREML >>ANNOUNCER: IN, LIN AND YOU HAVE THE KREMLIN WELCOMING NATIONAL SECURITY STRATEGY SEE THAT IT WAS REPEAT WHAT RUSSIA ITSELF HAS SAID SAD ABOUT SECURITY.

IT TALKS ABOUT ENDING A WORLD IN WHICH NATO IS CONTINUING TO EXPAND.

IT TALKS ABOUT THE UNITED STATES ESSENTIALLY DESTABILIZING THE GOVERNMENTS THAT IT DOESN'T LIKE OF MANY OF IT'S WESTERN EUROPEAN ALLI ES WORKING TO DEPOSE THOSE LEADERS.

THAT'S JUST A REMARKABLE STATE.

IT LED ONE SENIOR EUROPEAN I SPOKE WITH TO SAY, YOU KNOW, MY CONCERN ISN'T SO MUCH ANY MORE THAT THE UNITED STATES IS NOT ON THIS --NOT WORKING TO HELP UKRAINE AND EUROPE BUT THAT THE UNITED STATES IS NOW ACTIVELY SWITCHING SIDES.

THAT'S NUMBER ONE.

NUMBER TWO.

I THINK THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT IS THAT TRUMP IN HIS CAMPAIGN, AND IN HIS FIRST YEAR OF HIS PRESIDENCY HAS ADVANCED A PRETTY RADICAL IDEA OF NATIONAL SECURITY IN WHICH THE UNITED STATES BASICALLY IS FOCUSED MOSTLY ON THE WESTERN AREA, KIND OF THE INFLUENCE, ALMOST A 19th CENTURY VIEW OF CAVRING UP THE WORLD WITH THE OTHER POWERS LIKE RUSSIA AND CHINA BUT ALSO THAT IT SHOULD OPERATE WITH IMPUNITY WITH IN THE WEST AND THAT THEY ARE DEFINING NATIONAL SECURITY THREATS AS COMING FROM THE ENEMY WITH IN.

THAT'S SOMETHING TRUMP SAID ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL.

IT'S SOMETHING THAT HE REPEATED AND PETE HEGSETH SAID IN.

HE SAID WE SHOULD USE THE UNITED STATES MILTON THE STREETS OF OUR OWN CITIES AND THAT IT'S ACTUALLY DOMESTIC DISTURBANCES THAT POSE A NATIONAL SECURITY THREAT AND AS YOU KNOW OF COURSE HE IS KIND OF STARTED TO FOLLOW THROUGH ON THAT BY DEPLOYING TROOPS TO AMERICAN CITIES ON MADE UP PRETEXT OF CRIME WAVE THAT DON'T EXIST AND OVER THE OBJECTIONS OF THOSE CITIES ELECT LEADERSHIP.

IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT WORDS ANYMORE.

I THINK THAT'S THE KEY POINT.

>> THE PRESIDENT'S --HOW CAN WE PUT THIS?

SEEMS TO BE VERY COMMITTED TO ENRICHIN, HIMSELF IN THIS CURRENT VACATION.

IN HIS FIRST TERM IN OFFICE HE SAID THAT HE WOULD PUT HIS HOLDINGS INTO A BLIND TRUST BUT IN THIS ADMINISTRATION, IN THIS CURRENT TERM THERE DOESN'T SEEM TO BE MUCH CONCERN ABOUT APPEARANCES OFCONFLICTS.

THERE DOESN'T STEAM TO BE MUCH CONCERN ABOUT WHETHER HIS POLICIES DOVE TAIL PARTICULARLY NICELY WITH HIS OWN PERSONAL FINANCIAL INTERESTS WOULD YOU SAY THAT THAT'S TRUE?

>> I'M GLAD THAT YOU BROUGHT THIS UP I BELIEVE IT'S VERY IMPORTANT.

THE LEVELS OF SELF ENRICHMENT AND ESSENTIALLY THE USE OF THE UNITED STATES PRESIDENCY AS A TOOL FOR THE ENRICHMENT OF DONALD TRUMP AND HIS FAMILY IS A REALLY REMARKABLE ASPECT OF THIS SECOND TERM AND, AGAIN, THE SCALE AND SCOPE OF THAT.

WE ARE TALKING BILLIONS OF DOLLARS THAT ARE COMING INTO THE POCKETS OF THE TRUMP FAMILY AND THOSE IN HIS INNER CIRCLE.

>> AND HOW IS THAT WORKING?

HOW IS THAT HAPPENING HAPPENING?

>> THERE HAS BEEN INCREDIBLE INVESTIGATIVE REPORTING THAT HAS PRODUCED SOME REALLY EYE POPPING EXAMPLES.

FOR EXAMPLE, DONALD TRUMP'S SONS AND HIS PERSONAL GOLFING BUDDY, REAL ESTATE DEVELOPER TURNED PEACE ENVOY TO THE MIDDLE EAST AND RUSSIA AT THE SAME TIME THE TRUMP FAMILY AND THE WHITCOFF FAMILY ARE DOING BUSINESS WITH ARAB GULF EMIRATES AT THE SAME TIME THEY ARE NEGOTIATING MAJOR INTERNATIONAL ACCORDS AND ACTUALLY TWINNING THESE THINGS SO THAT TRUMP AND HIS FAMILY ARE TALKING ABOUT DEALS, BILLIONS OF DOLLARS INVESTED IN A NEW CRYPTO COMPANY RUN BY THE TRUMP KIDS AT THE SAME TIME TRUMP WAS IN THE MIDDLE EAST FOR THE FIRST VISIT, FOREIGN VISIT OF HIS SECOND TERM THAT'S ONE EXAMPLE.

FROM ARE NEW REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENTS IN COUNTRY AROUND THE WORLD TRUMP BRANDED REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENTS IN COUNTRY AROUND THE WORLD THAT HAVE MAJOR BUSINESS WITH THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION.

HE HOSTED THE PEOPLE WHO GAVE MONEY TO A TRUMP CRYPTO ENTERPRISE FOR DINNER AT HIS CLUB OUTSIDE WASHINGTON D. C. AND THEN BROUGHT THEM IN FOR A PERSONAL TOUR OF THE WHITE HOUSE SO, YOU KNOW, AGAIN IT'S THE CO MINGLING THAT IS REALLY REMARKABLE.

WE KNOW, FOR EXAMPLE, THAT THE SAUDI ARABIA GOVERNMENT GROUPS BASICALLY GAVE TWO BILLION DOLLARS IN SEED MONEY TO K USHNERA FIRM.

WELL.

DID ALL THAT MONEY COME FROM SAUDI ARABIA?

THE ANSWER IS THAT WE DON'T KNOW.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR TALKING TO US AGAIN.

>> GREAT TO BE WITH YOU.

THANK YOU.