Here we go again but this Donald Trump roller-coaster ride will be much worse so buckle up and brace for a nightmare crash.
The madman branded a Fascist by those who worked for him first time will be a bigger, more potent menace second time. He’s nastier, vengeful and surrounded by Hard Right ideological hawks straining to unleash on America and the world their destructive hardline politics and economics.
Trade wars, tax gifts for multibillionaire Elon Musk and an assault on decency and public services from the convicted felon will gravely test US institutions. Spare a thought for Ukraine and Volodymyr Zelensky, Vladimir Putin doing fist bumps in the Kremlin when his soul mate is back in the White House.
Nato will be trashed. Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel’s leader widely accused of war crimes in Gaza, gave early congratulations and will be wilder. Trump was graceless in declaring victory before he was over formally the finishing line, failing to mention never mind give traditional thanks to a beaten rival Kamala Harris he was vile to throughout.
In a rambling address, reminding us his family crowded on the stage will benefit financially from the doors he’ll open, the showman parading cage fighter Dana White and, in a Maga hat, US open golf champion Bryson DeChambeau, Trump the division-stirrer dared to pretend he’ll heal the country. Political satire is dead.
Rejuvenated Trump is fired up by egotism, greed and a bigotry that will have white supremacists shooting guns in the air. The lesson for Keir Starmer, Rachel Reeves and Labour is either British voters feel better off in 2029 or they are toast. Trump ruthlessly exploited a feel bad factor.
The US economy motored under Joe Biden compared with a UK stuck in the slow lane but higher grocery bills and a general feeling of going backwards sealed the deal for Trump. Converting many Latinos the Democrats believed were theirs could be echoed too in Britain’s Muslim community where Gaza and the two-child benefit cap are destroying traditional Labour loyalties.
Trump’s return is a nightmare for the Prime Minister. Starmer at least had the good sense to meet him for dinner in September in New York yet the next President’s unpredictability, thin skin and contempt for allies and democracies will, to say the least, be testing.
Emergency plans are in place to handle Trump and Foreign Secretary David Lammy may be sacrificed despite sucking up to incoming Vice President DJ Vance. Lammy was right in 2018 when he said "Trump is not only a woman-hating, neo-Nazi-sympathising sociopath” and that remains true in 2024 yet Deranged Donald’s elephantine memory could be diplomatic kryptonite for the Foreign Secretary.
Fan boys Nigel Farage and Boris Johnson will fight for Trump’s winged ear, both more self-important than ever and obstacles the despairing Prime Minister will manoeuvre to isolate. King Charles will have smashed his breakfast boiled egg. Likely to be asked to have a President he despises as a house guest to flatter Trump, Chas and Don couldn’t have views wider apart on the environment.
In the US the Democrats deserve the mother of all post-mortems and must shoulder part of the blame for their crushing defeat.
Incumbency is a global handicap, once near impregnable ruling parties in South Africa and Japan able to testify to that, yet deceiving Americans and covering up the frailties for so long of Joe Biden allowed their opponent to gather momentum.
Trump’s anointment complex, believing God spared him from an assassin’s bullet, is a commander-in-chief possessing a terrifying divine right to rule. He is a history man, the 45th President returning as the 47th indeed a remarkable comeback.
History repeats itself first as tragedy, second as farce, observed Marx. The first Trump Presidency was dreadful - ending in an attempted coup. Prepare for déjà vu all over again.