The second coming of Donald Trump as the 47th President of the United States (US) evokes different emotions. For Trump supporters and admirers in the US and the world over, the emergence of Trump as the leader of the strongest nation in the world will usher America into another golden era away from perceived decline. For those opposed to Trump brashness and divisiveness, his second coming will herald chaos and anarchy. It will also usher in another period of great uncertainty. It is going to be another era of great anxiety and trepidation. They believe that Trump will lead America away from refinement and global exclusion.
Since his inauguration on January 20, Trump has proved his critics right by flurry of rash decisions he has taken by signing numerous but contentious executive bills. President Trump after taking the oath of office declared that America’s decline is over and the golden age of America begins now. Apart from recognizing two genders, male and female, Trump wants to reverse citizenship by birth, rename the Gulf of Mexico and take back Panama Canal. He has taken America out of the World Health Organization (WHO) and intends to pull America out of Paris Climate Change agreement.
He vowed that millions of ‘criminal aliens’ in America would be deported. He also promised to do so many things many critics consider unnecessary. Has President Trump absolute powers to do all of this or will he be resisted by Americans? Good enough, American democratic system is resilient and has inbuilt checks and balances to curtail the excesses of a Donald Trump unlike what obtains in African and other third world countries where leaders are next to God.
President Trump at 78 is a very lucky person. He was the 45th US President from 2017 to 2021. He lost his reelection bid to Joe Biden. He won the 2024 presidential election as the nominee of the Republican Party. Trump won the 2024 presidential election against all odds. Many thought Vice President Kamala Harris of Democratic Party would win the election. Trump came to power in 2017 on high hopes and expectations, but he failed the people and he was defeated by Joe Biden.
Trump’s first coming was not so eventful. It ended so badly for him. He could not accept defeat. He refused to concede defeat. He behaved unpresidentially in almost all matters. Having come back to the Oval office once again, will the world witness a born-again Trump or the old Trump who is not amenable to change? We shall return to this theme later in the article. Before then, I would like to say one or two things about some of the sweeping changes of President Donald Trump.
Among the new changes coming from Trump, his stand on preferring two genders is commendable. It is in line with nature and God’s purpose for human beings and for procreation. Apart from the natural two genders of male and female, the others are an avoidable aberration and needless distraction imposed on the world by some scientists and their willing supporters.
It is good that Nigeria and other African countries have stood against same-sex marriage and other aberrations the West wants to impose on Africans, Asians and other third world countries. His promise to be a peacemaker and unifier in the Middle East is reassuring. His vow to end the Russian/Ukraine war whether in days or weeks will be welcome. Only time will show how Trump manages these issues.
On immigrants, President Trump should be cautious and circumspect in carrying out his sweeping changes on illegal aliens. The same goes to his stand on citizenship by birth. There are things a President of US cannot do rashly and without recourse to constitution and laws of America. It is expected that the new Trump is older and more mature to handle state affairs. He must sit down and think issues through before taking decisions.
America is strong because of its diversity and dynamic immigration policies. Trump’s rush to sign executive bills and plans to go ahead with their implementation will amount to dictatorship, which Americans will not tolerate. At 78, Trump should be sober and think of how to redeem his damaged image in his first tenure. His America first stand must be tailored to reinforce the US diversity. It should not exclude America from the rest of the world or pull America out of WHO and Paris Climate Change agreement.
President Trump should not use the next four years to fight avoidable wars or pursue policies that will not advance the course of US democracy. Trump should toe the line of other eminent US leaders in ensuring that America maintains its lead in global affairs. He should not cut US away from global bodies and alliances that will ensure global peace and harmony.
His pulling US out of WHO is not a good decision. It may have backlash on Americans and other countries. No matter what Trump intends to achieve for his supporters, he must not circumscribe the aspirations of other American citizens. With the way President Trump is going, Americans will grapple with the uncertainty of Trump’s second coming in the next four years. After all, they all voted for him. They must be willing to accept what they asked for. In 2017, Trump won the presidential election via the Electoral College vote.
Hilary Clinton defeated him on the popular vote. But in 2024, Trump won the Electoral College vote and the popular vote. This success should humble Trump and let him see power as a means of rendering good service to the people. He should not use his position for vengeance or to settle old scores. Castigating Joe Biden will not solve any problem for Trump. He sought power and got it. He should use it well and stop the needless break-dancing.
It will be tragic if another four years of Trump leads America to further decline than the promised golden era. His presidential steps so far do not point to the America encapsulated in Trump’s political philosophy of Making America Great Again (MAGA). Carrying out some of his current rash decisions will surely lead America to utter decline and even make China surpass America. Fortunately, the Asian Tiger is waiting to step in where America falters or dilly-dallies. How Trump policies will affect Nigeria and other African countries will be seen in the days and weeks ahead.