Donald Trump,indestructible?

Vice-Incumbent Democratic President, Ms. Kamala Harris wants “ turn the page on the past decade ". This amounts to conceding that the years 2014-2024 were marked more by his Republican rival Donald Trump than by the achievements of his own administration or that of Mr. Barack Obama. This is a little unfair for Mr. Joseph Biden — and incidentally for Ms. Harris herself — whose economic and social record is appreciable. It is better justified in the case of the first African-American president in the history of the United States. His election in 2008 sparked one of the greatest waves of political enthusiasm in the last fifty years. But what remains? Having shattered the most formidable “glass ceiling”, that of accession to the presidency, moreover by obtaining 43% of the votes of white voters, being young, superiorly intelligent, excellent orator, finally being re-elected: none of that nevertheless, this double Obama mandate (2009-2017), born under the sign of voluntarism (“Yes, we can”), ended with the victory of Mr. Trump, his absolute antithesis. Since she suddenly replaced Mr. Biden as her party's candidate, Ms. Harris has aroused an enthusiasm that cannot be explained by her political career or her projects. It seems that America is struggling to resist symbolic fads ( 1 ) .

While the Democrats believe they have found a new figurehead, the Republicans have their own more than ever. Before escaping a shooter's bullets, getting up with a bloody face and chanting " Fight, fight, fight », an almost perfect cinema verite scene, the forensic identification photograph of Mr. Trump, determined, almost rogue face, with, in the background, the badge of a Florida sheriff, already served as an iconic motif to posters and T-shirts that can now be found throughout the country. Embody the man who never surrenders, even... to the verdict of an electorate who disowned him after four years in office. This relentlessness allowed him to overcome two impeachment trials (a unique case in the history of the United States), four criminal proceedings, 91 charges, 34 convictions, thousands of lies. And also allowed him to survive a media that hates him, suspicions of prevarication and incitement to insurrection.

Its supporters believe it to be unsinkable. We can decry their blindness. On condition that they do not give their adversaries permission for the virtue they display. Because during Mr. Trump's mandate, the Democrats and the so-called "quality" press, the New York Times and the Washington Post in particular, resorted to dishonorable means to prevent him from governing. For three years they accused him of plotting with Moscow. First to beat Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton in 2016 thanks to information on her campaign, hacked by Russian hackers. Then, once installed in the White House, Mr. Trump would have paid his debts to Mr. Vladimir Putin by letting him carry out his hegemonic designs. An endless investigation has brought justice to this so-called “Russiagate” affair. But that did not prevent Democrats, Google, Facebook, Twitter and the American intelligence services from colluding during the following election to censor information embarrassing to the Biden family a few days before the vote. Reason given? Prevent a “ Russian disinformation operation » ... The violence of current political confrontations is also due to this feeling on each side that the adversary is cheating, manipulating, lying, threatening its freedom - and freedom in general.

In one area, however, the “past decade” has marked a certain continuity between the policies of the Republicans and those of the Democrats. It is about hostility to globalization. Opposed to the free trade policies of Presidents Bush father and son, Clinton and Obama, Mr. Trump slammed the “ American carnage » which according to him resulted from this. The lesson has been learned. Because since then, protectionism and industrial policies have been the norm in the United States. On this point, Mr. Biden not only followed the path traced by his predecessor, but he added an anti-Chinese strategic vision (the refusal to depend on supply chains) and financial means ($2.5 trillion at the bottom). word Even the European Union, although addicted to neoliberalism, had to follow.

Régis Debray once suggested that Europe lived so much under the tutelage of Washington that its citizens should be able to vote in American elections to determine their own destiny ( 2 ) . Openly cynical (“ transactional "), Mr. Trump's foreign policy has had at least the advantage of relaxing this transatlantic leash by ridiculing the idea that Europe and the United States — the " indispensable nation ( 3 ) » — had the common mission of defending democracy in the world. But the Biden-Harris administration has marked the return of this “imperialism of virtue” (read the article by Christopher Mott) which scolds or punishes Moscow and Beijing, caresses and supports Riyadh or Tel Aviv.

The American people have an interest in Mr. Trump’s failure. For Europeans it is less certain. Because otherwise, perhaps they would finally lose the desire to remain the little soldiers of the American president and they would more easily resist the temptation to preach the hypocritical sermons of the West to the rest of the world.