So, 101 days in and the approval ratings are still basically a polarised 50/50. So here is my 2 cents worth on the American president: I think he’s got some things right, and a few things horribly wrong. The things he’s got wrong are more potentially catastrophic, so don’t throw out your ‘duck and cover’ just guide yet.
What he got right:
I think he was absolutely right to act to protect women in sport and in female spaces from the march of radical transgender activism. I think it was absolutely right to address government waste and overreach. Yes, I’m sure they will make mistakes doing this, but without poking nests it doesn’t seem possible to find out which are hornets and which are honeybees. And it was absolutely necessary to protect the borders. I’m pleased he is deporting criminals and terrorist-supporting troublemakers.
Stopping DEI is a good thing. It is divisive and destroys social trust and social cohesion.
His policy in support of Israel is to be commended. Yes, some have said his “Gaza Plan” is mad, but I’ve yet to hear a saner counter-proposal.
I am pleased he seems far less antagonistic towards the UK than Joe Biden was.
I’m glad he has it in for those idiots in the South African government.
He is right that many NATO countries are not pulling their weight and may be unserious about defence. France linking fishing rights to defence co-operation is a good illustration of this.
What I’m iffy about:
The tariff stuff seems foolhardy in its execution. There is definitely an important conversation to be had about how western countries can protect jobs at home – particularly in key industries – and compete with countries which essentially have virtual slave labour directed by centrally-managed economies producing cheaper and cheaper junk. There are legitimate worries over our technology, intellectual capital, and means of production, being off-shored to potentially hostile countries. I’m just not sure tariffs are working or why he’s applying them to allies. If anything, Western democracies need to co-operate more and free trade seems the way to achieve this.
What he got TOTALLY WRONG:
Top of the list must be the Ukraine/Russia war. His whole intervention is a clusterfuck of ignorance, arrogance and hubris. Jesus wept!
Why he went down the path of antagonising allies is totally beyond me. Canada is not his enemy. Greenland is not his enemy. As I said, it is more vital than ever that the alliance of Western democracies stand shoulder-to-shoulder against the developing new Axis powers: Russia, China, Iran (and er, North Korea).
I try not to get deranged on a daily basis – as much of the media does – with invented outrage over this or that Trump is supposed to have done. Biden – and Obama before him – got a lot of big things badly wrong too – Iran policy and the withdrawal from Afghanistan for starters. But, oh boy, I think unless he wakes up and does a big u-turn on Ukraine, his legacy is going to be, well, “really, really bad”.
So that’s my take. Over to you.
