Trump Lost in One Stroke Whatever He Gained in Four Years

Why Trump became controversial though he was not unpopular in equal measure?

by N.S.Venkataraman 

There is no doubt that President Trump was a controversial figure. But, he was not that unpopular amongst American citizens,to the extent that  he was controversial during his four years of administration. This is clearly revealed by the fact that  Trump received support from a large number of voters in the recent Presidential election, though it was not enough to win in the election.  Certainly, the recent Presidential election in the USA was not a  wash out for President Trump.

Why Trump became controversial though he was not unpopular in equal measure?

Ever since Trump took charge as President of  the USA and a few months before that , he has been the target for a section of  the media, so called activists and critics. They carried out a relentless campaign against him  and did not hesitate to use abusive terms ,publish uncharitable cartoons and even raised doubt about his personal integrity.

When facing such vehement and motivated criticisms, Trump returned the “compliment” with equally vehement repartee in an attempt to silence the anti Trump critics.  In such circumstances, Trump received media glare for all wrong reasons.

Many American citizens and his friends abroad were disgusted that Trump brought down the stature  of US President by recognizing the motivated critics, instead of ignoring them.

Look at the difference between Indian Prime Minister Modi and  President Trump.  Both  of  them are  leaders of the government in noisy democratic countries  with media freedom at  an extreme level.

Modi has been called a thief by one opposition party leader and another chief mInister of a province said that she would want to slap Modi. What  was  the reaction of Modi to such abuses?  He simply ignored them and went ahead with his work. Modi did not lose his reputation but his critics did.

Obviously, Trump has a lesson or two to learn from Modi.

Certainly,  several measures implemented by Trump  caught the imagination of American citizens. His efforts to checkmate China to prevent China emerging as superpower at the cost of USA,  successful peace moves in Middle  East region, promoting America first policy by preventing immigrants getting jobs at the cost of Americans and taking measures to ensure that the investment by American industrialists would be focused on USA  and finally his moves in favour of Tibet by unequivocally supporting cause of  Tibetans,  victim of Chinese aggression, have all been very laudable measures, as far American interests are concerned.  Some of the positive measures initiated by President Trump have  not been  taken by earlier President Obama.  Trump’s move to stop funding WHO  and withdrawing from the Paris Climate Accord  have been appreciated by atleast some section of Americans.

Everything lost in one stroke:

After completion of the recent Presidential election, Trump complained about rigging of polls, which is unbecoming of a US President.

Trump’s refusal  to concede defeat was seen as an adverse reflection against the election machinery in the USA, which means questioning the fairness   and neutrality of the election officials.

Finally, when the supporters of Trump stormed into Capitol Hill, which is the seat of the US government , Trump lost all reputation.  Several world leaders have condemned the  act of rioters  protesting against the election verdict. Everyone thinks that Trump instigated his supporters to indulge in such vandalism.

The  criticism and the disapproval of the violent acts of protesters by  many people and leaders not only in  the USA but in several other countries is a disapproval of President Trump himself.

Thus, President Trump lost in one  stroke, whatever he gained in four years.

The future history will highlight the negatives of Trump and ignore his positives. This is how  history is always made.