Next Sunday will mark the first 100 days of President Donald Trump in the most powerful elected office in history. By all accounts, the overture to Trump’s reign has been one of the most controversial, confusing and unproductive in modern American history.

He has made a show of signing a number of executive orders and has repealed Obama environmental and energy initiatives, effectively pulling America out of world leadership in both areas. But his administration has been stopped humiliatingly in its tracks on two signature domestic agenda items: immigration and healthcare.

Meanwhile, Trump continues to flout any semblance of good governance and ethical practice. Although he is the most unpopular 100-day President since such polls started in 1953, he is still determined not to publish his tax returns. He has refused to effectively distance himself from his worldwide business empire as all previous Presidents have done.

His Florida resort, where he stays most weekends (at far higher public expense than previous Presidents), doubled its membership fee when he became President, presumably for the benefits that would accrue to its members from hobnobbing with the Big Man himself.

Trump has installed his eldest daughter and her husband as his closest advisers in the White House (without pay, so that’s alright then). He has redefined the concept of conflict of interest – if it does not break ‘bigly’ any law and/or you can get away with it with your loyal base, go ahead. Just make sure you discredit the free press first and put out your ‘alternative facts’ without their filtering.

Now why does this sound so familiar?

And above all this hangs the biggest politi­cal and spy scandal in American history involving the suspected collusion of Trump’s circle in the Russian desecration of the Ameri­can presidential election.

I suspect he is now living the ultimate Fantastic Four fantasy

Yet Trump behaves like he can brazen it out, as he brazened out his bankruptcies, and still come out on top. I suspect he is now living the ultimate Fantastic Four fantasy. His wife is invisible. Steve Bannon, his far-right adviser intent on ‘deconstructing Washington’, is the Human Torch. General McMaster, who is Trump’s National Security Adviser, has more than a passing resemblance to the human version of The Thing. It all fits.

Trump is, of course, Mr Fantastic, and like all Presidents faced with a turbulent domestic scenario he has found refuge in a bullish foreign policy. With one extra-long arm of the law he has dropped the biggest bomb in the US arsenal on Afghanistan and missiles on Syria for some good old-fashioned ‘clobbering time’. With the other arm he is pushing a fleet of warships to North Korea, which has reacted like an angry rattle-snake. That will show’em who’s the new sheriff in town – the UN American ambassador’s exact words.

This foreign policy braggadocio is dangerous not only because the reaction by ISIS and others is likely to hit Europe at least as much as American assets.

It is fundamentally unstable. Trump seems to be able to change his mind abruptly accor­ding to the latest clip on Fox News or the last whisper by the current confidante. There is clearly no thought-out game plan, no ideological or ethical basis for his actions.

It is true that he is now sidelining his wilder advisers and surrounding himself with more experienced and reliable ones. Some say that this is a sign of growing political maturity. But what does it say about Trump that 100 days in, the overwhelming feeling is hope in these advisers’ ability to stay his hand rather than confidence in how that hand will guide the nation and the world?

Packam the Pacman

The Gozo police force just keeps on giving. First came its heroic stand for domestic violence in 2016. Earlier this year we had a suspiciously incompetent investigation on child abuse, and a report on the handling of suspected drug traffickers that left more questions than it answered. Now we have an intrepid defence of illegal bird trapping.

Last week, British investigating environmental activist Chris Packam was roughed up by two illegal bird trappers and then manhandled by the police. So, of course, he was arrested and taken to court for assaulting the trappers himself.

The police could have prevented this charade by simply checking the very same video and audio footage seen by the court. But that would have meant admitting that the rule of law actually applies to bird trappers, and that the Gozitan police can make their judgement fairly and in good faith. The horror. Better by far to frighten the foreigner.

But once again the brave Gozitan police force was foiled by the courts. Drat. The presiding magistrate, a good man, is reported to have suggested that the footage should be sent to an Italian comedy channel.

It is unclear if his tongue was firmly in his cheek or if he was just trying some light relief in the face of despair.

Sorry, but after this fourth episode I cannot keep back any more from mentioning the island. Minister Carmelo Abela, someone has to do something about the alternative universe that is Gozitan policing.

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