Trump’s America: Is It Transforming or Unravelling?

Monday, March 10, 2025

This week from The Walrus:

The Chaos Trump Unleashed Is Just Getting Started

The US is entering a revolutionary moment. No one knows how it ends

BY RAFAL ROHOZINSKI

A close portrait of Donald Trump wearing a red cap.

Will this period of rapid, domestically focused upheaval lead to a stronger, safer, and more prosperous America? Or will it do the opposite—pushing the US toward isolation, retreating from the very interconnectedness that underpins its wealth and security? And if the latter transpires, where does the anger go when the expected renaissance fails to materialize?

The danger of tearing down institutions without a plan for rebuilding is that chaos fills the void. And when that happens, blame is no longer placed on foreigners, migrants, allies, or competitors—it turns inward. Not us against them but me against you.

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Jagmeet Singh and Lisa Roberts walk along a waterfront path. A child and adults are in the background looking at ducks.

The NDP Needs a Comeback. Atlantic Canada Might Be Its Last Hope

The party was shut out of eastern provinces in the last election. Could focusing on local issues help?

BY TREVOR CORKUM

A montage of two faces, one half of Gautam Adani and the other half of Narendra Modi.

The Billionaire Who Soared under Modi Faces US Fraud Charges

Gautam Adani became one of the richest men in the world thanks to political ties. Then came an American indictment

BY SUSHANT SINGH

A man seen in silhouette looks over rubble and dark clouds hovering over Gaza City.

What Happens When a Drone Strike Has No Killer and a War Has No Dead?

Language gives us the privilege to look away

BY OMAR EL AKKAD

A photo showing a group of students banging drums and holding up signs at a protest.

The Joy of Protest

In Serbia, a student uprising becomes a family affair

BY FILIPA PAJEVIC

Photo illustration shows the hands of a person at a laptop against a green background. The person is typing a prompt for ChatGPT.

I Used to Teach Students. Now I Catch ChatGPT Cheats

I once believed university was a shared intellectual pursuit. That faith has been obliterated

BY TROY JOLLIMORE

In an illustration, several people form a tower, sitting on top of each other's shoulders. They are balanced on a board against a large pencil that outweighs them. The pencil is labeled 'University of'.

What Happens after a Death on Campus

Following a string of suicides, U of T abandoned its students. It should have protected them

BY JADINE NGAN AND TAHMEED SHAFIQ

In a photo, green scrubs hang in a closet with several empty, askew coat hangers.

Amid a Staffing Crisis, Foreign‐Trained Nurses Face Endless Barriers

The process of being recertified in Canada can be gruelling and take many years

BY WENCY LEUNG

Green speech bubbles on a blue background.

Letters to the Editor: January/February 2025

On menopause, secession, and Pierre Poilievre

BY READERS

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Despite nursing shortages in Ontario, internationally educated nurses are still struggling to be certified to work in the province. How many more registered nurses does Ontario need to hire in order to meet Canada’s nurse‐to‐patient ratio?

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Join us in Toronto or online for The Walrus Talks Reimagining Volunteerism, where speakers look at the power of volunteerism to build shared purpose, individual agency, and community cohesion.

Whether you’re looking to expand your professional circle or simply engage with people who challenge and inspire you, The Walrus Talks offer pre‐ and post‐event networking opportunities in a relaxed atmosphere to build new relationships, collaborate on fresh ideas, or even meet potential mentors and business partners.

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Why Do We Travel? Because Nature Is Everywhere

In the latest instalment of the Y We Travel series, Caitlin Stall‐Paquet follows nature’s quiet resilience from Mexico to Miami to Montreal. Amid concrete and steel, wild flora and fauna push through, a striking reminder that life endures—with or without us.

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In this episode of What Happened Next, host Nathan Whitlock is joined by Amy Stuart, author of four bestselling novels. Most recently, she co‐wrote Home and Away with Mats Sundin—a memoir by the former Toronto Maple Leafs captain. That book was published by Simon & Schuster Canada in 2024 and was an instant #1 bestseller. Amy and Nathan talk about the very out‐of‐character way she landed the job of co‐writing the Mats Sundin book, about the new‐found attention it has brought her when she coaches hockey, and about the impact it has had on the way she thinks about her career as a thriller writer.

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THE WALRUS THANKS ALL OUR ADVERTISERS. BECOME ONE.

If you answered yes, you are not alone. Democracy and civil dialogue are in retreat around the world. In the past few weeks, we have been forced into a tariff war, seen the death of diplomacy on live TV, heard threats of Canada becoming the 51st state of the United States, and have felt ripple effects of axed international aid, public health, and immigration changes well beyond our borders. At best, these are confusing and worrying times. At worst, the future of civil society is at stake.

At The Walrus, we have never been more committed to fact‐checked, paywall‐free reporting on Canada. These are no ordinary times, and we need your help. Support The Walrus with a donation today so that we can continue to deliver independent journalism that responds to and makes sense of the most critical issues at hand.

Jennifer Hollett
Executive Director, The Walrus

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