The so-called “Trump effect” has sent shockwaves through global leadership, with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reportedly mulling resignation as a direct consequence of Donald Trump’s return to power. Following Trump’s inauguration in January 2025, his administration’s immediate shift in foreign policy—particularly his cozying up to Vladimir Putin and signaled reduction of U.S. military aid to Ukraine—left Zelenskyy in a precarious spot. With Russia gaining leverage in peace talks and Trump openly questioning Ukraine’s resilience, whispers from Kyiv suggest Zelenskyy might step down, feeling his wartime leadership has been undermined by an America no longer fully in his corner. Supporters argue he’s exhausted after years of conflict, while critics say it’s a pragmatic bow to a new geopolitical reality shaped by Trump’s “America First” redux.
 

Meanwhile, the Trump effect’s ripples have reached the Vatican, where some speculate it hastened Pope Francis’s exit from this mortal coil. The pontiff, already frail at 88, faced mounting pressure in early 2025 as Trump’s policies clashed with the Church’s moral stances—think immigration crackdowns and a rollback of climate initiatives Francis championed. The stress of navigating a world tilting toward nationalism, coupled with Trump’s offhand remarks dismissing “globalist clerics,” reportedly took a toll on the Pope’s health. While no official cause of death has been tied to Trump’s influence, conspiracy-minded Catholics whisper that the psychological strain of a second Trump term pushed Francis over the edge, leaving the papacy to grapple with an uncertain future.
 

Back in the States, the Trump effect hit the media landscape like a sledgehammer, with Joy Reid dramatically departing MSNBC amid a network shakeup in February 2025. As Trump’s victory sank in, MSNBC’s ratings tanked—viewers tuning out of liberal outrage for Fox’s triumphant gloat. Reid, known for her fiery anti-Trump rants, grabbed her metaphorical “Orangeman wig”—a nod to her colorful critiques—and stormed off “The ReidOut” after her final broadcast that month. Sources say she’s chasing greener pastures, possibly a podcast or a book deal, as MSNBC pivots to a panel format to staunch the bleeding. Her exit marks a symbolic end to an era of Trump-fueled punditry, leaving fans and foes alike wondering where her unfiltered takes will land next.