HOW WILL THE WORLD REACT TO TRUMP’S AMERICA ? – N.S.Venkataraman
It is an indisputable fact that USA has remained as the super power in the world for the last several years and continues to remain so , which has happened due to its large land size, enormous natural resources including crude oil and natural gas , strong agricultural base and of course , spectacular achievements in the field of science and technology.
This has been facilitated to some extent by liberally welcoming the talented people from across the world to USA. People from different countries, then and now, continue to desire to migrate to USA due to freedom enjoyed by the people, proactive work culture and liberal democratic set up and general affluence in the society.
Though it is a fact that there are quite a few negative aspects with regard to USA, the positive factors are overwhelming. While there are a few other countries like Russia and China which too enjoy several natural resources and large land size and other advantages , USA has been unique in exploiting its strength to reap huge benefit for the country.
This is the reason why USA Presidential elections are followed very closely by governments and people all over the world , much more than the leader of government in any other country. As a matter of fact, even the announcements about the appointment of secretaries by Trump before swearing in as American President was much discussed in the media around the world.
Why Trump voted to power overwhelmingly ?
At the same time, when Trump was elected as the President for the second time with overwhelming majority , many people around the world wondered why this happened , particularly since Trump faced several charges such as sexual assault, corruption and the fact that Trump supporters carried out violent attack in the Capitol Hill, when Trump was defeated by Biden and many people think that such attack could have been carried out with the knowledge of Trump. Many people around the world has started thinking whether US citizens do not care about lack of morals in private and public life of US President.
Some people think that Trump won the election overwhelmingly due to negative votes caused by lackadaisical performance of President Biden. Some other people think that Trump received huge support due to his loud proclamation of America first policy, his promise to deport illegal migrants and his assurance that the war in Ukraine and middle east would be stopped.
All said and done , after swearing in, Trump has lived upto his image that he has his own priorities and strong views , even if it would disturb others , so long as his America first policy would be implemented.
How will the world react to Trump’s America ?
Trump has made some statements such as Panama canal should belong to USA, Canada can be an extended territory of USA, 25% tariff would be enforced on goods and services imported from Canada and Mexico and 100% tariff would be imposed on the BRICS nations , if the domination of US dollar in the global market would be challenged by BRICS nations by launching any parallel currency and Trump has asserted that illegal migrants would be forcefully deported. All such statements may be considered to be extreme views by cross section of people, without balancing of thoughts and actions.
In such scenario, it is inevitable that other countries across the world would start thinking as to whether Trump assumes that God has created USA to police the world. To the extent that Trump enforces his priorities on the world such as quitting from WHO and withdrawing from the Paris Climate Agreement, the countries in the world would find that they cannot accept such situation with helplessness mind set. Several governments in the world would start thinking about the strategies to discipline “Trump’s America”. Certainly, they would not dare to take any strong measures immediately but would contemplate in this line of thinking .
Of course , there are at least three countries namely Russia, China and Iran who seem to despise USA’s superiority complex and there are some Islamic extremists who would try to cause problems for peace in USA internally. Such countries and forces could pose some sort of threat to Trump’s America.
Is it due to lack of SWOT analysis ?
It is not very clear whether Trump has carried out a realistic strength , weakness , opportunity and threat (SWOT analysis ) for USA and pondered about the risk analysis and mitigation possibilities due to his strong America first policy, which Trump appears to think must be reflected by US dominance over the world affair overwhelmingly.
There is nothing wrong in America first policy of President Trump but should this policy result in offending other countries is a question , which even discerning Americans would start thinking aloud. Certainly, there is nothing wrong in deporting illegal migrants but the illegal migrants have entered America several years back due to the lack of scrutiny by the past US administration and may be considered by section of people as inhuman, particularly when they remain as law abiding people. Deporting the illegal immigrants is highly sensitive issue and may be even economic issue to some extent, as many American people and even some American companies employ such illegal migrants, as they need the services of low level working people.
America first policy is impressive and can strengthen American face creditably but such policy should not result in cutting off one’s nose to spite the face, which means to do something that harms someone else, but also harms the person who does it.
