Donald Trump has returned to the White House promising to ‘put America first’. But what does that mean for the rest of the world?

His critics argue that his style of leadership is dangerous. His threats to abandon NATO, cut off Ukraine and seize control of the Panama Canal — not to mention his obsession with buying Greenland — show that the man is driven by impulse and grievance, not strategy. Within weeks of taking office, he imposed steep tariffs on China, Mexico, and Canada, America’s largest trading partners, igniting fears of a global trade war and straining international alliances. Now, he has unveiled an unprecedented plan for Gaza: a proposal to forcibly relocate Palestinians, a move condemned by global leaders as reckless and destabilising.

Others claim, however, that you don’t have to be a MAGA die-hard to see that a disruptive second Trump presidency could bring much-needed order to an unstable world. Indeed, his pledge to pull back from ‘forever wars’ and take a tough stance against aggressors could be a boon. With Trump back in charge, they say, adversaries like Russia, Iran, and China will think twice before pushing their luck.

Trump is unlike any democratic leader anywhere. Will he bring peace through strength — or chaos through recklessness? Join us in this third Parallax debate as leading voices clash over what another Trump term means for the world.

Speaking for the motion: 

The Rt Hon Michael Gove: Editor of The Spectator and former UK Government Cabinet Minister

Speaking against the motion: 

Mehdi Hasan: Journalist and Editor-in-Chief of Zeteo 

Chair: Ritula Shah Former BBC news presenter and host on Classic FM

Tickets to this event are £15 off for subscribers to How To Plus.