A Tumultuous Week in Trump’s America: Tariffs, Trans Rights, Immigration Fury, and the Canada Call

It’s been another firestorm week under U.S. President Donald Trump, who, true to form, has managed to incite political unrest across several fronts—immigration crackdowns, transgender policy rollbacks, trade falsehoods, and a diplomatic eyebrow-raiser with America’s neighbor to the north.

The week began with a major escalation on immigration enforcement. In a nationally televised address Monday evening, President Trump announced sweeping new powers for federal agencies to detain and deport undocumented migrants—bypassing existing asylum processes. The move sparked immediate legal challenges from civil liberties organizations and immigrant rights groups who called the new order a “declaration of war on due process.”

But the controversy didn’t end there. On Wednesday, Trump’s Department of Education introduced new guidance that guts protections for transgender students across the country. The policy walk-back allows states and school boards to determine whether transgender youth can participate in gender-aligned sports or access facilities consistent with their identity. LGBTQ+ advocates condemned the change as dangerous and discriminatory, setting the stage for a court battle that may well end up before the Supreme Court.

By midweek, Trump turned his attention outward—this time toward China. In a post that ricocheted through global markets, he declared that Beijing had “agreed to historic tariff concessions,” suggesting that a long-awaited trade breakthrough had finally arrived. Yet within hours, Chinese officials denied any such deal existed, calling Trump’s claim “unfounded and irresponsible.” The statement rattled economists and global investors, as uncertainty returned to an already fragile international trade landscape.

Then came the phone call with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney. According to multiple diplomatic sources, President Trump personally urged Carney to consider “joining the United States” in a more formalized way—reviving his years-long, tongue-in-cheek campaign to make Canada the 51st state. Trump reportedly pitched economic incentives tied to oil pipelines and a “continental defense framework.” Carney was said to be polite but firm in his rejection, noting Canada’s independence and global commitments.

The call wasn’t just bizarre; it landed amid ongoing trade spats and Trump’s repeated attacks on Canadian media for “spreading anti-American bias.” Unsurprisingly, Canadian officials have not issued a public statement, likely hoping to avoid inflaming tensions further.

Meanwhile, back home, Trump is also facing heat for misleading claims on his social media platform, where AI-generated articles were passed off as legitimate news sourced from mainstream outlets without permission. Lawsuits are mounting, and legal observers suggest this could become another First Amendment flashpoint as the presidential campaign season heats up.

It’s only April, but Trump’s presidency is once again operating in a state of permanent upheaval. His policy decisions continue to fracture coalitions, provoke diplomatic confusion, and stoke America’s deep partisan divides. Yet for his supporters, the chaos is the point—a break from political convention that reinforces Trump’s self-styled image as a political wrecking ball unafraid to rewrite the rules.

And judging by this past week, he’s not slowing down.