Since Donald Trump elected to preside over The White House and the US governance for four years as President as per the country’s constitutional mandate, many used to call him Don, a negative and thuggish character, instead of calling him by full name. I was not that happy with this branded name calling, for reason that after all he is the President of the world’s oldest and successful democracy, the country which is the world super power from economic, military, scientific and education, etc. point of views apart from the leading light and inspiration for the world of democracy, so far considered as one of the best form of governance. And Donald Trump has not ascended to the throne in The White House through a military or theocratic or communist coup as seen in Pakistan (in 1958, 1977 & 1999), in Iran (in 1979) and in China (in 1949), etc. respectively and in many other nations. He was duly elected to legitimately rule the US for four years, and for that very reason, it is political blasphemy to call him with Don branding.
During the campaign for his bid to The White House in 2016, Donald Trump was rejected by the then incumbent President Barack Obama, who successfully completed two terms and for his works was awarded the coveted Nobel Peace Prize, with statement ‘Donald Trump is misfit for The White House’. And the majority of leading newspapers and opinion leaders in the US have forecasted that he would lose to veteran politician, former First Lady and the former Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, his challenger; yet he won defying famous political foretellers. After the election, it was allegedly reported that he manipulated the election in his favour using external forces. For the above, I had an apprehension that he was a victim of political envy or inferiority complex since the business man Donald Trump had encroached politicians’ realm.
It had never come to my mind that there would be a time in the US democratic history when the very US based social media such as Twitter and Facebook could dare to block country’s President and the world’s most powerful person’s tweet and account with statements, and I quote, “This Tweet is no longer available because it violated the Twitter Rules” and “President Trump blocked from posting to Facebook, Instagram ‘indefinitely’, at least through end of term”, respectively.
On 06 January 2021, Donald Trump directed his supporters, who had come together for a “Stop the Steal” rally in front of The White House, to march towards the Congress, the country’s revered Parliament. President said ‘he would go with them to Capitol’, but didn’t for reason best known to him. Might be he wanted to fire at the nation’s democratic institution keeping gun on the shoulders of fanatics forces, many of them were misguided and brainwashed with undemocratic thoughts by the vested interests. Thank to the fate of democracy and the US, he slipped into his car and went to The White House instead. After that what happened were free for all, not seen in the constitutional history of the country for more than two centuries.
The event turned into a violent riot, rioters entered the Capitol Building where law-makers had gathered under the presiding authority of Vice-President Mike Pence, the member of Donald Trump cabinet and his number two, to certify –though the certification is customary yet carries a lot of constitutional significance since Congress is the country’s highest law-making body- the defeat of Trump-Pence reelection bid and Biden-Harris election win as mandated by the world’s oldest written constitution. Rioters wrought havoc in the Capitol Building, where law-makers were forced to hide for their lives, entering the same breaking the worst ever security arrangement. As the chaos unfolded, Donald Trump like typical Don of the Hollywood movies encouraged the rioters in a video posted over Twitter telling them “You are ‘Special’ and ‘We love you’”.
The US is a leading light for world of constitutional democracy. And The White House occupant is the supreme authority of the country that represents the world’s third largest population’s voice and aspiration. Apart from this, the US democracy is strength and has strengthened democratic revolution in all over world. And, unfortunately, this democratic accident took place when the world is struggling to rescue it from one more belligerence of autocratic communist China, world’s second largest military power and economy that the democratic US helped come to present status with misplaced assumption that the engagements would democratize the autocrats, and the paramount leader of which has given direction to nation’s military to remain war ready at any second as his new year message. And another two weeks (as on 06 January 2021) are there for change of guard in The White House, and some months are needed for new guard to settle and take deserving decision.
In the ensuing riot, four people lost their lives and the world’s super power became laughing stock all over the world including in the countries which had faced and suffered due to the US interferences in order to establish democratic governances there vis-à-vis Communist encroachment during infamous Cold War. Who will be accountable for loss of lives and spoil of image of the US as the purveyor of democracy? The US had encountered a Civil War in 19th Century, threat to her national security during World War-II and Richard Nixon’s unconstitutional method to suppress political opponents (Watergate episode in 1970s) who was about to be impeached, the first of the kind; but what Donald Trump did on 06 January 2021 was unprecedented and disgraceful.
To prevent Donald Trump kind of adventure in the future, the US Congress soon initiates impeachment motion against him so that before the D-day of transition came on 20 January 2021 as per the constitutional mandate which has not been breached so far, he is removed from office with sole objective to tell the future generations that the world’s oldest democracy does not tolerate any undemocratic bid to occupancy democratic institution/s. Apart from this, there is urgent need of nationwide uniform election rules and regulations, the absence of which have been main reason of discontents in several Presidential elections in the past, and in which Donald Trump sees an opportunity to legitimize his hunger for power.
