- Mar 11, 2015
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The rest of our allies do not want to see a second trump presidency. And so what kind of allies do you think we will have if Trump wins again? Putin? Do you XXXXXXXXXX think Putin wants a friendship with this country? He wants us to self destruct so we don't stand in his way. And some of you idiots are falling for it.
My friends, it turned out, had not been paying close attention. They thought Trump was history. Now they know better. Europe and much of the world has awakened to the real possibility that the twice-impeached, twice-indicted Trump might be the Republican nominee, and they are growing alarmed.
And if Europeans —and Ukrainians and South Koreans and Taiwanese — are concerned, Americans have far more reason to worry. Trump’s chaotic presidency didn’t achieve many of its goals because of the inexperience, incompetence and lack of discipline of key members of his administration, along with the strength of US democratic institutions and the people who worked to safeguard them.
But a second term might be different.
Admittedly, much can happen before the election. The GOP primaries could surprise, and Trump’s legal troubles could get in his way. For the moment, however, his primary opponents are mostly not gaining traction. Sixteen months from now, he could be on his third straight presidential ticket.
I’ll predict that anyone who thought the Trump presidency was disastrous — and polling shows that includes many Americans and most citizens of America’s allies — will find Trump 2.0 even more cataclysmic.
Trump now has a strong operation in developing meticulous plans for a possible second term. The overarching goal is to make the former president more powerful than ever, enabling some of his autocratic inclinations.
In a second Trump administration, according to those plans, the Department of Justice could lose its independence, coming under full control of the president, who would be able to mobilize it against his foes and protect his friends. Other independent agencies, those regulating the media or monopolies would also lose their autonomy if the strategy succeeds.
Opinion: Here’s what America’s allies think about a potential Trump second term
A few months ago, friends in the Netherlands asked me who I thought would win the 2024 US presidential election. They nodded placidly when I said I thought the odds favored President Joe Biden, but nearly jumped out of their seats when I said former President Donald Trump has a not-negligible chance of returning to the White House.My friends, it turned out, had not been paying close attention. They thought Trump was history. Now they know better. Europe and much of the world has awakened to the real possibility that the twice-impeached, twice-indicted Trump might be the Republican nominee, and they are growing alarmed.
And if Europeans —and Ukrainians and South Koreans and Taiwanese — are concerned, Americans have far more reason to worry. Trump’s chaotic presidency didn’t achieve many of its goals because of the inexperience, incompetence and lack of discipline of key members of his administration, along with the strength of US democratic institutions and the people who worked to safeguard them.
But a second term might be different.
Admittedly, much can happen before the election. The GOP primaries could surprise, and Trump’s legal troubles could get in his way. For the moment, however, his primary opponents are mostly not gaining traction. Sixteen months from now, he could be on his third straight presidential ticket.
I’ll predict that anyone who thought the Trump presidency was disastrous — and polling shows that includes many Americans and most citizens of America’s allies — will find Trump 2.0 even more cataclysmic.
Trump now has a strong operation in developing meticulous plans for a possible second term. The overarching goal is to make the former president more powerful than ever, enabling some of his autocratic inclinations.
In a second Trump administration, according to those plans, the Department of Justice could lose its independence, coming under full control of the president, who would be able to mobilize it against his foes and protect his friends. Other independent agencies, those regulating the media or monopolies would also lose their autonomy if the strategy succeeds.
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