Donald Trump (USA)

Returning to the US presidency in January 2025, Donald Trump immediately reshaped global trade through sweeping tariff policies targeting China, Canada, Mexico, and the EU — a bolder economic intervention than any president since the Smoot-Hawley era. Withdrawing from the Paris Climate Agreement a second time, he redirected $2.3 trillion in annual US trade flows. His "America First" foreign policy strained NATO relationships more deeply than Xi Jinping's influence over EU trade. No single leader in 2025 had a wider reach across international economics, security, and diplomacy, directly affecting 40% of global GDP through tariff adjustments.