Second-term slump

This week US President Donald Trump marked the end of his first year of his second term as president with an average of 40 per cent approval ratings. This is consistent with his 42 per cent rating at his inauguration on Jan.20 last year. His rating fell to 31 per cent on the economy, which more than half of respondents said was worsening. He was rated 38 per cent on his handling of immigration, an issue which was a focus of his campaign for the presidency.

He has been blamed for rough treatment of suspected illegal immigrants and shootings involving immigration officers, notably the shooting death of Renee Good in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on Jan.7. Overall, Trump is seen as failed by 58 per cent, more than any other president during the same period.

Forty-five per cent want Trump to reduce US involvement in foreign affairs. US citizens were not keen on the US military’s snatch of Venezuela’s leader Nicolas Maduro and threats to other Latin American rulers not aligned with or critical of the US. Since mass unrest erupted in Iran, Trump has blown hot and cold on possible US military intervention without suggesting any specific line of action. At time of writing, he has toned down threats due to fewer shootings of protesters, sharp de-escalation of the situation and Iran’s declaration it would not execute arrested protesters after Trump threatened military intervention.

“We have been told that the killing in Iran is stopping, it has stopped, it’s stopping,” he said. “And there’s no plan for executions or an execution or executions. So, I’ve been told that on good authority. We’ll find out about it.”

Trump has limited military options when dealing with Iran. As Iran’s airspace was shown to be poorly protected during the June assault mounted by Israel and the US, airstrikes could be carried out against bases of the Iranian Republican Guards Corps. However, the Basij para-military youth volunteer force and the police have, reportedly, taken active roles in quelling protests. As a US attack on Iran could prompt Iranian retaliation against US installations and allies, the Gulf states have wisely urged the parties to resolve differences through dialogue and diplomacy.

Trump has also been sharply criticised over his offer to buy Greenland from Denmark and his threat to seize the strategic, mineral rich island if his offer is refused. Denmark and Greenland, Danes and Greenlanders have protested vehemently as Greenland is a self-governing, economically dependent territory within the Kingdom of Denmark which is a member of the European Union and NATO. Greenlanders have been recognised as a distinct people who will eventually gain independence. After a bipartisan US Congressional delegation visited Copenhagen for discussions with Danish and Greenland officials, Democrat Senator Chris Coons tried to reassure them that 75 per cent of US citizens do not have designs on Greenland and there is no threat from Russia and China, as claimed by Trump as justification for a US take over. This visit coincided with a new Trump threat to impose 10 to 25 per cent tariffs on any country opposed to his ambitions in Greenland.

Trump has also courted criticism by adopting a typical colonialist approach to Gaza by chairing and appointing influential non-Palestinian figures to the Board of Peace established to oversee and manage the transition to Palestinian governance. Trump has exposed his business-oriented, exploitive approach by demanding $1 billion from countries seeking to have representatives on this body.

Palestinians have suffered constant colonial intervention since Britain’s Foreign Secretary Arthur Balfour expressed his government’s support for a “national home for the Jewish people” in Palestine, while stating that “nothing shall be done which may prejudice the civil and religious rights of existing non-Jewish communities.” It is notable that Palestinians constituted 90-92 per cent of the population, Jews 8-10 per cent when Balfour issued his infamous declaration. Today there are about 7.1 million Jews and 7.4 million Palestinians in Palestine/Israel while 3.3-3.8 million Palestinians are UN registered refugees in Lebanon, Syria and Jordan.

On the domestic front, Trump has downsized the US government, closed a range of institutions an, issued executive orders which exceed his constitutional authority. He has authorized the deportation of millions of illegal migrants although many if not most perform jobs US workers refuse or are not trained to do. Under his direction immigration and customs (ICE) have used violence against suspected illegals, creating a climate of tension and revulsion and stoking mass protests. He has talked of making Canada the 51st US state despite opposition from that country’s government and citizens. He has imposed a wide range to tariffs on imports, wrecking the largely free trade system which formerly governed international commerce.

Trump has torn down the East Wing of the White House which is to be replaced with a massive ballroom that will dwarf the rest of the executive mansion and has decorated the presidential Oval Office with gold, demonstrating his monarchical bent and exposing terrible taste.

Photo: TNS