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Your guide to what the 2024 US elections mean for Washington and the world
Donald Trump's inaugural address eight years ago became known as the “American Carnage” speech for its evocation of a dystopia of rusting factories, poverty and crime. His second speech, in parts, struck the brighter tone that had been set, promising “a new golden age for America.” But a great deal of vengeful rhetoric was still present, filled with a sense of defense and personal mission born of his extraordinary political comeback. For his supporters and critics alike, the conclusion must be that the second era of Trump promises to be more important and more disturbing than the first.
There were moments of noble rhetoric as Trump invoked the achievements of American pioneers, from those who conquered the American West to those who took humanity to the stars. He insisted that America would regain “its rightful place as the greatest, most powerful, and most respected nation on earth.”
But at the same time, he criticized the “extremist and corrupt establishment” that took power and wealth from citizens, and the government that could not manage “even a minor crisis.” Opponents will fear that his pledge to end the “weaponization” of the justice system that he believes has been manipulated to target him will, in effect, be tantamount to using the tools of American justice to target him. Settlement of accounts With his enemies. Although there is no mention of the annexation of Canada or… Capture of GreenlandHis announcement that America would restore the Panama Canal would upset allies and adversaries alike.
Since Trump's return, these warnings have become stronger. Although he was limited in his first term by his ignorance of Washington politics and the “big boys in the room” he appointed as advisers, he became president as a result. It has reshaped Western attitudes toward China, accelerated the retreat from multilateralism, and empowered right-wing populist parties around the world.
The man who was sworn in in the Capitol Rotunda on Monday — where rioters four years ago tried to block the transfer of power to President Joe Biden — is much stronger this time around. He enjoys almost complete loyalty in the Republican Party, which has a majority in both chambers of Congress. His cabinet choices are determined by their loyalty to him. Not only Silicon Valley billionaires, but many corporate leaders were quick to kneel before Trump. The narrow victory in the popular vote is now seen as a change in the political climate.
Moreover, Trump 2.0 carries a detailed agenda to fundamentally change how America is governed, and how it deals with the rest of the world. He explained that among the nearly 100 executive orders he has already begun signing, there are declarations of national emergencies on issues including immigration and energy, giving him the authority to expedite new measures.
Trump, for now, is holding off on imposing long-awaited tariffs despite his campaign pledges to impose a global tax on global imports and higher rates on Canada, Mexico and China. But Trump's assertion that he will terminate Biden's Green New Deal and that the United States will withdraw from the Paris Climate Agreement is a blow to climate action. Some of his other orders are set to be unprecedented, extreme and legally questionable.
There are also many reasons why Americans outside the MAGA rule fear for their democracy. Biden rightly warned in his farewell speech that the combination of enormous wealth and political influence in Trump’s new circle was “aOligarchy. . . Formed in America. That Trump and his wife launched memecoins to capitalize on the world's most speculative market in the days leading up to his inauguration is emblematic of this self-interested shift. The legal world, regulatory bodies and media groups must pay close attention. Trump's first term, and its end, were turbulent enough. But the checks and balances of American power are about to be tested as never before.
