Opinion
President Donald Trump thought he had a really successful trip in Davos. As with so much of his self-reflection, he is wrong. Trump compelled the world leaders who hung on every word, every profound judgment he uttered. The finance, tech and industry masters of our universe – they could not get enough of seeing him. All for the simple reason that Trump is in the process of destroying the world that enabled them to reach the summits of unprecedented wealth and power, and they need to navigate a restructured new world that is not brave, but in decay.
But Trump is in decay, and it is affecting him, his presidency and us.
Those in Davos and the viewers worldwide see a president who must speak for 90 minutes at a time. His language is sloppy (how many trillions of dollars have been invested in the United States to make it the “hottest” country on the planet?), repetitive (how many wars has he ended?), and outrageous (“Considering your Country,” he posted to Norway’s president, “decided not to give me the Nobel Peace Prize for having stopped 8 Wars PLUS, I no longer feel an obligation to think purely of Peace”.)
Trump makes grandiose declarations – on the war in Ukraine, on tariffs, on Gaza, on the “Board of Peace”. But nothing is successfully fulfilled.
There is no end to the war in Ukraine. The peace talks are beginning to rival the agonising talks with North Vietnam that took five years to conclude. Trump’s leverage has corroded. Trump is exerting control over all the Americas. Why should Russian President Vladimir Putin retreat from Ukrainian land he occupies and covets?
With markets tanking, Trump had to walk back on his threat to use armed force and mega tariffs against Europe over his insistence to acquire Greenland. Trump takes home an endless process of talks that will not give him an inch of sovereignty over “the ice” he covets.
The catastrophic success brochure presented by Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner on a reborn Gaza was dead on display. If only the disarmament of Hamas and the establishment of a Palestinian governing authority were in place.
The Board of Peace was launched with Trump as chair with full control over the money and empowered with the sole veto over any vote taken by the board. No major European allies have joined. No Russia. No China. And not Canada after Trump disinvited Prime Minister Mark Carney for his searing words about Trump. It wasn’t Carney’s candour about the “rupture” between Trump and NATO that really riled the president. It was his expression of national identity. “Canada doesn’t ‘live’ because of the United States. Canada thrives because we are Canadian.” Carney should thank Trump for saving his taxpayers from the $US1 billion joining fee.
If Prime Minister Anthony Albanese declines the Board of Peace, will Trump punish Australia with more tariffs, changed terms on AUKUS, a bigger commitment on defence spending? Will the PM stand as tall as Carney? This may be US ambassador Greg Moriarty’s first big issue.
With so many eyeballs on him, a new cycle of scrutiny began over Trump and his mental and physical health. The verbiage, the outrageous memes, the repetitive confusion of one country’s name for another’s, the musings for another term in office and whether to cancel the November midterm elections, the narcissism that demands the gifting of Nobel Peace Prize medals, golden orbs and trophies because of his indispensable role in our world. The sway in his walk and the bruises on his hands. The resting of the eyeballs on stage and in the Oval Office.
They all lead to one question: is Trump up to it? Will he have a Biden moment of halted speech and a paralysed mind? Trump excoriates his predecessor Joe Biden every day for being infirm. Biden’s cabinet and staff did the nation a disservice by not talking publicly and candidly about whether Biden should run for a second term.
For Trump, there is no one in the senior circle who is strong enough to resign on principle and declare what is wrong with the president – and force a process of honestly evaluating whether he can continue in office.
Davos man has limped home. But he is not going anywhere.
Bruce Wolpe is a senior fellow at the University of Sydney’s United States Studies Centre. He has served on the Democratic staff in the US Congress and as chief of staff to former prime minister Julia Gillard.
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Bruce Wolpe is a senior fellow at the University of Sydney’s United States Studies Centre. He has served on the Democratic staff in the US Congress and as chief of staff to former prime minister Julia Gillard.
