America prepares for a wild and dark return

Buckle up: Donald Trump returns to the White House next week for a second term that promises to be even more unstable – and intransigent – ​​than his roller-coaster first presidency.

Building on his historic political comeback, the Republican billionaire has shown no signs of changing the bombastic style that shook the United States and the world from 2017 to 2021.

“If you liked Trump 1, you’ll love Trump 2,” Peter Loge, director of the School of Media and Public Affairs at George Washington University, told AFP.

For all the talk of a more disciplined Trump, the 78-year-old — who will become the oldest person ever to be sworn in on Jan. 20 — appears to be much the same changing character as last time.

Before even setting foot in the Oval Office again, he spoke of a new “golden age,” while promising retaliation against opponents and the media, and pledging the mass expulsion of illegal immigrants.

Trump has also raised alarm bells around the world, issuing wild territorial threats against U.S. allies and stoking fears that he will throw Ukraine under the bus to win a peace deal with Russia.

“Trump’s character is fundamentally the same,” said David Greenberg, a professor of history and journalism at Rutgers University.

“What we can expect is more of the unexpected.”

– New normal –

But on the contrary, Trump 2.0 promises to be even more powerful and more extreme.

The Trump presidency shocked many in 2016, but is now the new normal. Big tech and big business rallied behind the man they had largely shunned during his first term.

Elon Musk, the richest man in the world and boss of the increasingly right-wing social network X, is at Trump’s side.

“Everyone wants to be my friend,” the president-elect said in December.

Many of the guardrails surrounding Trump four years ago have disappeared, with die-hard loyalists replacing the so-called “adults in the room” who tried to moderate his worst instincts.

The Republican Party strongly supports him, which was not the case last time. Both the US House of Representatives and Senate are in Republican hands – even though they have a razor-thin majority in the House – and few dare even whisper a dissent.

“Trumpism is the Republican Party of today,” said Jon Rogowski of the University of Chicago, adding that Trump was now “more acceptable to a broader political spectrum.”

Stunned critics of Trump have remained largely silent during the transition.

Once fervent accusations of “fascism” and authoritarianism have faded while even President Joe Biden, who described Trump as a “threat to democracy,” toned down his rhetoric.

The way Trump ended his first term – in disgrace after his election-denying supporters attacked the US Capitol on January 6, 2021 – or the fact that he will be the first convicted felon to be president is barely mentioned for the moment. moment.

But former special counsel Jack Smith delivered a parting rebuke early Tuesday, in a report detailing Trump’s alleged criminal efforts to overturn the result of the 2020 election that saw Biden win.

The report said Trump would have been convicted at trial if Smith had not dropped the case after the Republican was elected president in November last year.

– ‘Professional wrestling’ –

Trump will rush into his second term, knowing he is limited to four more years – even though he has considered an unconstitutional third term.

He is expected to sign around 100 executive actions in his first hours in office, including possibly pardoning some of the January 6 rioters.

Trump’s first months will likely focus on immigration and the economy, his electoral strengths, while Musk will lead efforts to gut the federal government.

Trump also chose a rich and controversial, uncompromising Cabinet, including vaccine skeptic Robert F. Kennedy Jr., as health secretary.

On the world stage, Trump is more provocative than ever. He refused to rule out military action against Greenland and Panama, while threatening U.S. trading partners and neighbors Canada and Mexico with huge tariffs.

Conversely, Trump says he wants talks with the leaders of Russia and China, strongmen he has long openly admired.

The question is how seriously Trump’s threats should be taken.

“A really good metaphor for President Trump is professional wrestling,” Loge said. “The important thing is not the sport, the important thing is the spectacle.”

This time around, the world may be more ready to deal with him, Loge added.

“Under the first Trump administration, people responded to spectacle. This time, maybe we’ll respond more to sports.”

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