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THE Trump presidency

Feb 11, 2025 Letters

Dear Editor,

A number of extraordinary developments have occurred within recent times in the United States These developments stem from a slew of executive orders issued by U.S. President Donald Trump.

To some America watchers the developments are considered worrisome, in other quarters, they are welcomed and deemed unprecedented in the sense that never before were they ever applied in America nor to other nations.

Thus far, instead of resorting to America’s military might in pursuit of foreign policy objectives, he has slammed the brakes on USAID stopping foreign aid, a practice used by previous US administrations to promote the neoliberal capitalist model of economic and social development and foster friendly ties with America. Reports indicate that staff at USAID has been downsized from ten thousand to two hundred. During its more than four decades of existence, USAID has been accused of foreign meddling, fomenting colour and spring revolutions and regime change in countries around the world.

Ironically, were Trump’s orders, resulting in mass retrenchment of public servants; purges at and dismantling of state institutions, carried out by a democratically elected government in another country; that government would have been branded authoritarian or communist. It would have been sanctioned, its officials denied visas and their assets frozen in America.

Purges are used as excuses to isolate, take revenge and punish individuals and institutions considered hostile to leaders of ruling parties and ‘enemies of the state’. The outcry against such acts is usually loud and universal. They linger for a long time.

The purges currently underway in America and dismantling or downsizing of USAID, the Treasury, State and Education departments, the FBI and CIA are taking place in a totally different national and global context. They are viewed by millions of Americans who voted for Trump as justifiable and acceptable.

But what is happening in America today is more than just purges, retrenchments, or the downsizing or dismantling of state institutions. It is far deeper than what meets the eye. Its reach is beyond America. The mounting of billboards in Georgetown supporting the election of Trump should be seen as supportive of his domestic and foreign policy. Perhaps it may be useful to keep in mind what Henry Kissinger once said; “It may be dangerous to be America’s enemy, but to be America’s friend is fatal.” By now, Kissinger’s prophesy must have dawned on Zelensky in Ukraine.

Mr. Trump has shown a willingness to use American power in a way that most of his modern predecessors have not. His preferred weapon is not gunboat diplomacy but economic coercion, like the tariffs he ordered on goods from Canada, Mexico and China.

Trump prefers to bludgeon, not bargain, his way to foreign policy goals like Greenland.

But contradictory statements have begun to emerge. Take for example Mr. Trump’s demand that the Panama Canal, be handed back to America, Pete Hegseth, Trump’s Defense Secretary has not disavowed using force, “all options are on the table.’ he told a Fox News reporter.

And as regards Mr. Trump’s ambition to ‘clean up’ and ‘fix up’ euphemisms for ethnically cleansing Gaza, some of Trump’s aides while supporting the project have walked back on what is clearly a delusional proposal.

Unsurprisingly, but not unusual of Trump’s modus operandi, it appears that some back-channel initiatives have been activated. While there has been no official acknowledgment, sources claim that unofficial conversations have opened up between contacts in Iran, Venezuela and Russia.

‘S/N editorial of 9/2/25’ put it bluntly, ‘President Trump seems to be creating a new world which functions without principles. The message he is sending whether intentional or not is that anyone can seize land (a matter of some concern to us) and no one is accountable at a global level.’

Yours faithfully,

Clement J. Rohee

Former Minister of Foreign Affairs

(THE Trump presidency)

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