Why does Trump 2.0 feel different from Trump 1.0?
WHAT a difference eight years make. In February 2017, a few days after President Donald Trump’s inauguration, my neighbours in our apartment building in the Washington, DC, area, the majority of whom were proud liberal Democrats, were still shocked, panicked and full of rage.
They just couldn’t believe that a real estate tycoon and former television show host whom they regarded as a boorish political demagogue was elected as the 45th president of the United States (Potus), and were worried that he would pursue an authoritarian agenda and devastate America’s democratic foundations. They were stunned.
The women in my co-op, wearing “pink pussy hats”, joined thousands of others in a giant Women’s March in the capital, responding to the threat that the new president posed to reproductive rights.
The sense of outrage was in the air, with the intent being to launch a wave of resistance against the perceived illegitimate occupation of the White House by a man who, after all, failed to win the popular vote and was rejected by more than half of the country.
In fact, at that time Trump had failed to solidify his support among Republicans, with a large contingency of “Never Trumpers” pledging to join the resistance against him, while Washington insiders vowed to work from within to torpedo his agenda.
Indeed, the first person without government or military experience ever to be elected Potus, Trump’s first days in office were marked by turbulence, with his executive orders becoming rejected by the courts, his political aides fighting constantly with the media, and his never-ending stream of tweets producing chaos in Washington.
Eight years on, the response to Trump’s return has been muted; there certainly was no talk of resistance among my neighbours. No one was really stunned by his electoral victory this time, although shocked, perhaps, by the speedy pace and enormous scale of his actions since entering office just over two weeks ago.
Trump’s first executive orders bombarded Washington with their force, if not ferocity: removing criminal illegal aliens and toughening border defence. Creating an “iron dome” missile defence and killing diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programmes throughout the government. Withdrawing the US from the World Health Organization and Paris climate accord.
And, pardoning some 1,500 rioters convicted for their assault on the US Capitol on Jan 6, 2021, including at least 170 who were accused of attacking police with deadly weapons.
Then, there is the rewarding of trusted, loyal lieutenants with Cabinet positions, the dismantling of federal agencies and offers of buyout for federal workers.
Trump seems to be dominating Washington’s brain space as he holds impromptu press conferences with journalists and leaves the Democrats and the rest of the opposition confused, leaderless and in disarray. The “Never Trumpers” seem to have disappeared.
Democrats recognise that public opinion has shifted to the right, and that many of the actions of Trump – who has gained the plurality of the popular vote, including over illegal immigration and DEI – are supported by voters.
Nevertheless, one person was not cowed into submission. At the inauguration prayer service in Washington, Bishop Mariann Budde pleaded with the president to “have mercy on the people in our country who are scared”, including immigrants.
A “radical left hard-line Trump hater” was how the president denounced her, a lone Washingtonian who was willing to confront him.
