THE octogenarian former President, Donald Trump, has once again ascended to the US presidency. The grandeur of the ceremony was of the highest order, with cameras capturing every movement of Mr. Trump. The festive oath-taking ceremony has concluded, and his inaugural speech has been met with widespread comments and praise from both the US public and international communities.
The inaugural speech of Mr. Trump was full of tricks and tricks. He portrayed himself as he is the only person who can safeguard the Americans from any type of decline. I was saved in one fatal attack on me but was saved by God to make America great again. He said the day forward our country will flourish and be respected once again all over the world. We will be the envoy of every nation. I would simply put America First, our power will stop all the wars and bring a new spirit of peace and unity to a world that has been angry, violent and totally unpredictable.
Trump, like his predecessors, made bold claims but deviated from them. Former President George W. Bush once stated, “We want to draw a new map of the globe, guiding humanity toward literacy, democracy and safeguarding mankind.” He envisioned a new “World Order” bringing order to society. However, actions in Iraq and Afghanistan contradicted these ideals, prompting protests in the US with signs reading “Don’t chop off the Human Community.” As noted in The Price of Liberty by Paul-O-Nell, “The US is a friend indeed, but not a friend in need. It provokes friends against friends and neighbours against neighbours.
Few countries, including Pakistan, have done as much for the US as a friend, yet the US has been very slow to fulfill its promises. Washington ignored Pakistan during its wars with India in 1965 and 1971, with policies that lacked moral clarity or obligation. When the US favours a country, it often does so for investment or its own interests, as many US leaders are market-men. Trump was warmly welcomed by many in his country, with his inaugural speech making bold promises. He declared, “I will end the scourge of DEIA from our federal government and return Americans to a merit-based society where people are hired based on skills, not skin colour. But the President’s Administration posted a memo on social media, notifying DEIA employees of immediate paid administrative leave as the agency moves to close all DEIA offices and programs. He also issued orders to suspend the arrival of asylum-seeking migrants. After these actions, Bishop Mariann of the Washington National Cathedral, speaking from the pulpit where Trump was sworn in, appealed to him to show mercy for families fearing separation. In response, Trump blasted her, calling her “nasty” and demanding an apology. He also criticized her sermon as “boring” and “uninspiring.”
Coming to the end, I would like to quote a few lines from the Holy Book Bible, because Mr. Trump while taking the oath as head of the state put his hands on this holy book to express his reverence that he is a faithful disciple of an “apostle of peace”. The holy book reads, “For what shall it profit a man, if he gains the whole world after the loss of his life, remember”.
—The writer is senior journalist, based in Germany.
(nighatleghari@yahoo.com)
