WITH THE DECLARED AND DARING BOLDNESS of President Donald Trump to “make America great” once more, we cannot help but observe he is doing his utmost to make America hate again instead. And his enigmatic efforts have drawn more world attention and have had grander global impact than Brexit, for example.
Mr Trump’s antics and style of politics may even have been a distraction from our very own political and economic dilemma right here in Barbados.
Never before, as far as we are aware, has any other American presidential candidate been endorsed by the Ku Klux Klan. Never before, if we can believe the Central Intelligence of America (CIA), has anyone seeking to make the White House his or her official home ever been clandestinely put in by a foreign power –– in particular, Russia.
The impact on Americans themselves, after revelations of such, has already evoked gargantuan hatred for the new United States leader and manifested daily protestation among civilians too. No other elected president has been greeted with more overt hostility, more protests, and,on the brighter side, more public sarcasm and parody, being made the butt of many a scurrilous joke.
The greatest concern for the next four years –– if indeed Mr Trump’s sojourn in the White House lasts that long –– is his judgement, public conduct and practical vision for the United States vis-a-vis the rest of the world, and the likely fallout that would impact those of us in the Caribbean. Sadly, upon assuming the greatest authority on Earth, we have seen little metamorphosis in his shamelessness (groping aside),vanity and threatening image.
And, his vision and observance of the boundaries between his private interests and public responsibilities are seemingly blurred, as he is challenged often to present us with any logic. Mr Trump might take a lesson from our Prime Minister Freundel Stuart’s book –– in speaking much less; at the very least, giving some thought to what he would utter.
The brash United States leader might also take a Barbados Community College course in communications and diplomacy. Can you imagine Donald Trump this week slamming the phone in the ears of Australia’s Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull after a testy exchange between them over a refugee deal signed with the Barack Obama administration?
According to the Washington Post, Mr Trump lost his cool when discussing the programme that requires the United States to resettle refugees from among 1 500 plus asylum seekers being held on small Pacific islands. Clearly confused by Mr Trump’s communication, Mr Turnbull is of the view “the president assured me he would follow through” on the deal.
Meanwhile, Mr Trump, as usual, took to Twitter on Wednesday night to make it clear he still wanted to examine this “worst deal ever” in which he accuses Australia of exporting the “next Boston bombers”.
Tweeted he: “Do you believe it? The Obama Administration agreed to take thousands of illegal immigrants from Australia. Why? I will study this dumb deal!”
After all this bullying and bullying back, will Donald trump the Turnbull, who remains confident the Obama deal will remain intact, endorsing the strength of the bilateral relationship between America and Australia?
What of the relationship now between Barbados and the United States? Would a telephone conversation between our erudite and articulate Freundel Stuart and a blustering, bungling Donald Trump give us the answer? For sure, Mr Stuart is one world leader this Donald Trump could not possibly make to feel uneasy!
Prime Minister Stuart will not be bullied, or Barbados trumped. And Opposition Leader Mia Mottley, resilient as ever, will be standing next to our leader on this, we believe.
