Thursday, March 28, 2024 | Ramadan 17, 1445 H
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EDITOR IN CHIEF- ABDULLAH BIN SALIM AL SHUEILI

What Trump administration will do

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Donald Trump will be inaugurated as the 45th US President on Friday


FOREIGN POLICY


His nominee for secretary of state, Rex Tillerson, has not yet placed all his cards on the table, and it remains unclear whether he and Trump will convert their affinity for Russia into firm policy. With respect to the Middle East there will be a clear leaning towards Israel, with consequences stretching beyond the region. One of Trump’s first actions after winning the November election was to deal a slap in the face to China by accepting a congratulatory phone call from Taiwan’s president, and further provocations have followed.


SOCIETY


The social climate in the US will take on a harder edge. Eight years of liberal policy under Barack Obama run counter to the ideas of Trump and the Republicans at both the federal and state level on issues such as racism and equality, abortion and women’s rights. While the Supreme Court has ruled same-gender marriage a right everywhere, certain states are still holding out.


TRADE


Trump intends to raise barriers to trade in order to compel companies to invest and produce in the United States. This may boost the US economy in the short term, but it will not pay off over the longer term, analysts say. It is certainly bad news for the poorer countries of Latin America and for major trade deals that President Barack Obama fought hard but failed to conclude.


JOBS


Even before he takes office, Trump can point to a few successes.Toyota is to invest $10 billion in new US production sites and General Motors will spend $1 billion on multiple new vehicles,advanced technology and component projects resulting in 1,500 new jobs. Companies are hoping to profit from the deregulation Trump has promised, including easy environmental regulations.


LAW


In light of statements Trump and his cabinet nominees have made, Democrats fear that what they see as civil rights gains made under Obama will be reversed. The key issues are criminal justice reform,voter rights, appointments to the Supreme Court and an expansion of prisons.


CLIMATE AND ENERGY


In his campaign, Trump backed traditional forms of energy to the hilt, pledging to reopen old coal mines to the delight of the mining sector. Little has been heard about this of late. Instead the incoming administration could rely on the oil being produced in the US as well as huge gas fields that have yet to be exploited. But this implies that concern about the climate and global warming will take aback seat. However, it is seen as unlikely that Trump will go so far as to cancel the Paris agreement on climate reached in 2015.


COMMUNICATIONS, MEDIA


Trump uses Twitter to circumvent the news media, giving him the force of direct messages to the public. Interviews are rare, and old-style press conferences even more so. Trump has a conflicted relationship with the media, welcoming publicity on the one hand, despising journalists on the other. Whether the White House will continue with daily press briefings is an open question. Trump plans to continue to tweet as president and make use of an information network well disposed to him.


OBAMACARE


“Obamacare” as the Affordable Care Act is known has given access to medical insurance to millions of US residents previously uninsured.The Republicans aim to abolish the system as soon as possible and replace it with another programme details of which have yet to be released.


SUPREME COURT


A Supreme Court seat has been vacant for almost a year. Trump intends to nominate a candidate within weeks, giving Republicans the opportunity to put their stamp on the majority in the court for years to come. The political attitudes of the judges come to the fore in controversial cases, and their rulings are significant. Trump’s list of candidates drawn up during the campaign are all deeply conservative.


TERRORISM


Several members of the incoming administration consider the US at war with terrorism. Trump and his proposed national security adviser have stated their conviction that immigration from largely Muslim countries should be restricted. Trump has referred repeatedly to plans to combat IS, but details are scarce beyond cooperation with Russia in this area. He has also said that he does not intend any further releases from the Guantanamo Bay military prison.


DEFENCE


Trump aims to limit US military involvement, while combating terrorism strenuously. Countries like Germany and Japan should pay more for US protection, he has said. Nato is “obsolete” in his view,but also “very important.” His choice for defence secretary, retired Marine General James Mattis, has described it as “the most successful military alliance probably in modern history.”


IMMIGRATION


Trump has repeatedly described immigrants as “criminals” and pledged a zero-tolerance policy. He plans to compel countries to take back migrants rejected by the US. A key campaign pledge was to build a wall along the Mexican border at that country’s cost. — dpa


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