Trump on the way to the “golden age”: analysis of the speech and psychological portrait of the new president

21 January 19:53
ANALYSIS FROM Komersant ukrainskyi

After his official inauguration on January 20, 2025, Donald Trump became the new president of the United States. At the ceremony, he promised that America would enter a “golden age,” outlined the key priorities of his administration, but did not mention his campaign promise to help bring the war in Ukraine to a swift end.

Shortly thereafter, Trump made his first comments on the war in Ukraine, addressing journalists in the Oval Office.

According to CNN, the new president recalled his previous statements made during the election campaign, when he claimed that he could end the war in 24 hours. At the same time, Trump added that he still has half a day to achieve this goal.

“We will try to do it as soon as possible. You know, this war between Ukraine and Russia should never have started in the first place,” he said.

Trump also noted that he intends to meet with Vladimir Putin after the talks are organized, emphasizing that “the process is already underway.”

Political analyst Volodymyr Fesenko in an exclusive commentary for [Kommersant] assessed Donald Trump’s first steps after his inauguration, noting that it was more of a show than a politically important event.

“In fact, it was more of a show. And it’s very telling that most of the comments were not about political statements, but about the show,” Fesenko said, noting that most reactions focused on elements of the ceremony, such as Melania Trump’s appearance or personal moments.

Important political messages and plans

Nevertheless, the expert emphasized that Trump’s presidential speech contained important points, in particular, regarding energy and US domestic issues.

“For example, the state of emergency in the energy sector, the program to combat the crisis in this area, and the expansion of oil production are important, in particular, in terms of influence on Russia,” he said.

In addition, the launch of a special operation on the Mexican border is an important point for Americans. Trump’s foreign policy, according to Fesenko, has remained less specific.

“In terms of foreign policy, he only mentioned the Panama Canal and a few other general topics. It is especially surprising that Trump did not mention Ukraine, Russia or China,” the political analyst said.

Ukraine and future negotiations

As for Ukraine, Trump spoke more precisely during a briefing for journalists in the Oval Office. According to Fesenko, when asked by Ukrainian journalists, Trump replied that Zelenskyy was ready for talks, while Putin was “not quite ready.” The expert believes that the main position of the United States in the context of Ukraine is the initiative to negotiate. Trump, according to Fesenko, intends to talk to both Putin and Zelensky, and only then determine the next steps.

Volodymyr Fesenko also noted that the idea of peace talks will be realized through concessions from both sides.

“This means that the Americans will not make peace on Russia’s terms. They will demand concessions from both sides, including, possibly, Ukraine’s rejection of NATO,” the political scientist noted.

He also pointed out that the main stage of the negotiations will be the cessation of hostilities. He also clarified that in the first months, Trump is likely to negotiate separately with Russia and Ukraine to try to unite the two sides for general talks.

Former SBU officer and military analyst Ivan Stupak also shared his assessment of Donald Trump’s policies after his inauguration and expressed his views on the situation in Ukraine in a conversation with KU journalists. According to Stupak, Trump’s policy will have a number of unpredictable and impulsive moments, but there are also important aspects that can change the course of the war in Ukraine.

Trump’s show: what awaits us?

According to Stupak, Trump’s first steps demonstrate that his policy will remain a show.

“The show will go on, and there will be many moments that we will not like. A lot of impulsive, ill-considered steps, such as the cryptocurrency story. They played around with it, but it was just a show, with no backing,” he said.

As for Ukraine, Stupak said that a number of funding programs have already been frozen, but this does not directly affect assistance to Ukraine.

“We have heard that various funding programs have been frozen for 90 days. But this concerns obligations to the UN. They don’t seem to have any impact on the provision of Ukraine,” he emphasized.

Trump’s statement on Zelensky and Putin

Ivan Stupak also commented on Trump’s statements regarding Ukraine.

“Trump said he was satisfied with Zelensky’s position, that he wanted to stop the war. Putin doesn’t want that, and Trump plans to put pressure on Russia,” Stupak said, adding that this shows Trump’s intention to go beyond “waving the flag” and act decisively.

At the same time, the expert noted that although Trump is determined to be proactive, he will face many difficulties in realizing his promises.

War in 24 hours: is it possible to fulfill the promise?

In the context of Trump’s promise to end the war in 24 hours, Stupak noted that this phrase has already been archived.

“It was a catchy phrase for the election campaign, but now Trump recognizes that the war cannot end in a day. His team says that they set a deadline of 100 days or six months,” he said.

Stupak believes that the Trump administration has the ability to force Putin to make concessions, but these concessions are unlikely to please Ukraine.

“This is likely to be a condition for Russia: Ukraine does not join NATO, and the negotiations stop. Perhaps there will be consultative talks in the format of observers. For us, this will be a compromise that will be difficult to accept,” the expert explained.

Despite the fact that Ukraine will probably not be able to join NATO, Stupak believes that cooperation with individual members of the Alliance, such as the UK, France or Germany, will continue.

“On the other hand, relations with NATO may be frozen, although some form of cooperation will remain,” he concluded.

Thus, according to Stupak, the process of peace negotiations will be long and complicated, and Ukraine may have to make compromises that may not fully meet its interests.

Meanwhile, political psychologist Svetlana Chunikhina in an exclusive commentary for [Kommersant] analyzed Donald Trump’s behavior during his inauguration from a psychological point of view. According to her, although the inauguration is a carefully regulated event, it allows us to highlight certain psychological details that reveal the inner state of the US president.

Age-related changes and lack of gestures

Chunikhina points to significant changes in Trump’s behavior compared to his first inauguration in 2017.

“Trump in 2025 looked like a completely different person when he took the presidential oath. He looked slow and tired. Of course, this can be explained by age-related changes, but another aspect is important – the almost complete absence of gestures,” the psychologist noted.

Trump, who is known for his active gestures during his speeches, actually “talking with his hands,” this time looked restrained, which was a noticeable anomaly for his style. This could be the result of poor health, advice from technologists, or a reflection of the mood in which he took on his duties. However, it is difficult to say clearly why this happened.

Melania Trump: stiffness and a mysterious hat

The behavior of the president’s wife, Melania Trump, deserves special attention. Chunikhina noted that her behavior in public has always been rather stingy and restrained in official contexts, but this time she sometimes looked “lifeless.”

“The black hat that covered her eyes and upper face only emphasized this depressing effect,” the psychologist emphasized.

Trump’s paradox: a triumphant or tired leader?

One of the most interesting aspects that Chunikhina draws attention to is the paradoxical behavior of Trump himself. On the one hand, he has remained the undisputed triumphant of American politics, full of grandiose plans for his country. He proclaimed a “golden age” for America and said that no one could stop him, not even a sniper.

But if you turned off the sound or distanced yourself from the content of his speech, Trump’s behavior did not look so optimistic.

“Instead, this was a man who seemed to be reading out a verdict with a premonition that this verdict would be put into action. And although everything around him says that he has won, he just looks tired and old,” Chunikhina noted.

From a psychological point of view, according to Chunikhina, Trump demonstrates a typical picture of political fatigue: even as a winner, he looks physically and emotionally exhausted. Comparing his first inauguration to the current one, Chunikhina emphasizes that changes in Trump’s behavior may be the result not only of age-related changes, but also of an internal psychological state that has arisen as a result of five years as president, the struggle with political opponents, and global challenges.

“Instead of a triumphant leader, we see a leader who is experiencing his internal conflict. And perhaps his ambitions and grandiose plans for America are now perceived through the prism of personal fatigue and doubt,” the psychologist concluded.

So, during the 2025 inauguration, Donald Trump is showing mixed signals, combining the ambitions of a great leader with signs of political fatigue. His changes in behavior may indicate not only age-related changes, but also an internal psychological conflict that has arisen as a result of a complex political struggle and global challenges.

Author – Daryna Glushchenko




Darina Glushchenko
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