100 Days of Trump

Isn’t it strange how, while Barack Obama’s first “100 days” were triumphant, Donald Trump’s first 100 underwhelming days in the White House have been the opposite? The 45th president of the United States has endured disappointment after disappointment from the political, administrative and judicial authorities of his country. Trump has run into obstacles, which, for the moment, seem insurmountable, regarding immigration, Former President Barack Obama’s health care law, (the law he wants to abolish that protects patients) and the wall along the Mexican border.

On an international level, Trump has done everything wrong, making enemies of even the United States’ most steadfast allies. Furthermore, during the presidential campaign, he promised to withdraw U.S. troops from the battlefield, but he has instead brought the world to the brink of nuclear war with his ill-timed decisions. He wants to “deal” with the problem of nuclear weapons in North Korea in his own way – “alone,” if necessary, ignorant of the danger he is putting the world in. Contrary to Barack Obama, a true Machiavellian (he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize while being the U.S. president who provoked the greatest amount of war and violence in the world), Trump impulsively functions through tweets (on many occasions, he has had to go back on his word and keep a low profile) and seems to act without thinking.

In truth, Trump still cannot get over the fact that he won the race for the Oval Office “throne,” despite the Republican Party’s initial opposition. (Some 15 candidates attempted to stop him from reaching the White House.) As president of the world’s most powerful country, the billionaire New York real estate mogul is discovering immeasurable power, and he is intoxicated. His behavior (regarding both domestic and foreign affairs) can undoubtedly be explained by the fact that the White House’s current tenant is drunk on the power that has fallen to him. He is misusing this power, believing that he can do anything because he is the president of the United States. However, Congress quickly made him understand that there are limits to his decision-making power.

Another point worth making is that, while Obama elegantly executed a complete break from the presidency of Republican George W. Bush, Trump wants to immediately and brutally erase everything his predecessor achieved, including emblematic victories such as “Obamacare,” improved health care for the middle class and the Iranian nuclear agreement. In addition, Trump imitated Ronald Reagan, the 40th (Republican) president of the United States, by inviting himself to the annual National Rifle Association’s (the powerful U.S. gun lobby) conference. But Trump is not, and can never be, compared to any of his predecessors, and certainly not to Reagan. Their only point in common is their admiration for the NRA. Reagan, anti-Communist though he may have been, signed one of the first significant treaties banning the use of nuclear force (the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty). Not only does Trump want to tear up the nuclear agreement with Iran, he is also ready to enter a nuclear war with North Korea.

And last, but by no means least, while Obama knew how to keep people happy while remaining true to his principles, Trump relies more on strength than intelligence. On his 100th day in office, the light at the end of the tunnel still seems very distant for Trump, who will continue to struggle.