Donald Trump, in His Glory Days

The impeachment trial of President Donald Trump ended with the vast majority of the Republican Party defending him against all odds, while Democrats insisted on Trump’s removal from office. A majority of the Senate voted against the two articles of impeachment passed by the House of Representatives, which charged Trump with abuse of power when he asked Ukraine to investigate his political rivals and obstruction of Congress for blocking its investigation.

The result was far from the two-thirds of Senate members needed to remove President Trump from office.

The Republicans presented a variety of arguments against convicting the president on impeachment charges. Despite a group of staunch supporters who defended the president, there was a group of senators who recognized that the president’s behavior was inappropriate or malicious but who felt his actions did not deserve the extreme punishment that is removal from office. This is contrary to what happened in the House of Representatives, where almost all Republican legislators supported Trump’s behavior.

In any case, the Senate’s decision crowned what can be considered Trump’s best days since he arrived at the White House, starting with the Democratic setback in the Iowa caucuses, when the delivery of results had to be postponed due to technical difficulties, followed by the surprising lead of former South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg. The following day, Trump delivered a heated State of the Union address, in which he boasted about the growth of the country’s economy, the high rate of employment and his fight against terrorism.

To round out these days of glory, Trump welcomed the results of a Gallup poll showing that 49% of American citizens surveyed support his administration. This is the highest approval rating Trump has received during his presidency. Furthermore, 63% of voters polled said they support how Trump has managed the economy.

Nevertheless, the polarization between Democrats and Republicans is apparent from actions that are unusual in American politics. On the one hand, there is Trump’s disdain for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, whom the president ignored when she tried to shake his hand. Later, Pelosi ripped up her copy of Trump’s speech in front of aides and reporters present at the speech.

One hopes that political leaders, regardless of position or party, will take responsibility for defusing the hostile atmosphere that has created a deep divide in American society.