Weekly Blog - 26 January 2025 - Trump Presidency
What does the first week of the new Trump Presidency signal for progress on tackling social injustice, ending poverty, and caring for the environment in the years ahead? How should those who care about these issues engage effectively with the new administration?
Trump Presidency
The biggest global news story of the week has of course been the inauguration of Donald Trump as the 47th President of the United States. His administration began in typical flamboyant, bullish and combative style with a plethora of controversial executive orders and policy changes. In this week’s blog we consider what the actions taken in the first week of the new Trump presidency mean for the core issues of democracy, human rights, peace, strong and fair economy, poverty reduction and caring for the environment that Arise focuses on its Reform Movements and 4 Shifts campaigns. We also ask how Christians, the international community and the world might respond and engage with the new presidency in the coming weeks, months and years.
Democracy and human rights
Looking first at the issues of democracy and human rights, this is perhaps where the greatest concern for many will be. In his first week President Trump pardoned 1,500 people involved in the 6 January 2021 storming of the capitol by his supporters, including more than 250 convicted of assault. President Trump, widely seen as having encouraged the January 2021 insurrection, has never accepted his loss of the 2020 election, and continues to insist it was rigged, without any evidence. Taken together with his continued flouting of many of the usual democratic checks and balances and codes of behaviour in public life, this is an inauspicious start. The American people, the institutions of American democracy, and the whole world will need to watch carefully to make sure democracy and human rights are not undermined in any way.
Peace and security
Turning to consider peace and security, more positively, and even before taking power, the incoming administration placed enormous pressure on the Israeli government to halt the conflict in Gaza. This is widely seen as the primary factor that resulted in the ceasefire that came into effect last Sunday 19 January. In his last term President Trump’s administration exerted similar huge diplomatic pressure to agree the Abraham Accords normalising relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia and the Gulf States. He is likely to also place intense pressure on Russia and Ukraine to end the war in Ukraine. In general he has very little appetite for American lives and money being spent in foreign wars, and seems prepared to use huge pressure to achieve peace. Furthermore, his unpredictability and robustness in defending US interests may make authoritarian nations like Russia, China and Iran more cautious in pursuing internationally aggressive policies. On the other hand, many may well worry about the terms on which such peace agreements are secured. President Trump’s administration is a strong supporter of Israeli settlers in the West Bank, and much less sympathetic to a two-state solution in Israel/Palestine, widely seen as the eventual desired fair outcome. The new administration also seems ready to accept peace in Ukraine on Russia’s terms. The President is also very critical of NATO and its members, raising worrying concerns about how committed the US is to the alliance. Finally, President Trump has repeatedly said he wants the US to take control of large parts of Panama, Greenland and Canada, and has not ruled out the use of force. Even if this is largely a rhetorical negotiation tactic, such statements are highly destabilising. The international community will have to become deftly skilled in managing a highly volatile US foreign policy.
Strong and fair economy
Turning to the issues of strong and fair economy, this is where Trump is strong (if not always fair), with economic policies that have every indication of boosting at least the US economy. His threat to use widespread tariffs against virtually all countries trading with the US, and strip back legislation affecting business, seems to have significantly boosted confidence in the prospects of the US economy. Arguably these are policies which may result in more and better paid jobs (though this is highly contested) for blue-collar working-class communities in the US who are struggling and feel left behind and ignored (even if tariffs may be bad news for many other nations). It has to be acknowledged that the Republicans and Trump personally have struck a chord with huge numbers of voters from such communities, something which essentially won the election for them. This is quite an achievement, that has to be recognised by those on the left or mainstream of politics, and should prompt deep reflection on why so many ordinary people, rightly or wrongly, no longer feel represented or supported by those parties.
Taxation and social spending
When it comes to taxation and social spending though, Donald Trump has clear ambitions to cut taxes and US state social spending on the poorer sections of society. This means so many ordinary people will not benefit from any economic boost, and risks driving up levels of poverty and inequality. Furthermore, looking to the international dimensions of addressing extreme poverty, in its first week the new administration paused all US international aid, and announced it is pulling out of the World Health Organisation. These actions threaten huge negative impacts for global health and the lives of millions of the world’s poorest and most vulnerable people.
Climate change and the environment
Finally, on climate change and the environment, the first week has been catastrophic. President Trump has again pulled the US out of the UN Paris Agreement on climate change, something he also did during his last term in office. Furthermore, he has signalled that he will unlock widespread oil and gas drilling in the US, hugely boost the fossil fuel industry, roll back on environmental protections and undermine the renewables industry. Such policies will have to be called out and opposed strongly by all those who believe in climate action and caring for God’s creation. There may be some silver linings in the fact that there is now such global momentum behind the economic transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy, that even as the US rolls back its commitment to climate action at the federal level, at the state and business level it may well continue regardless. This happened widely during President Trump’s last term in power.
So where do we go from here?
As Christians we are called to respect and obey those in authority, and to pray for them, as Paul says, “I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people – for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness” (1 Tim 2: 1 – 2) (Arise Manifesto, pg 79 – 85, 53). Last year’s election was won fairly, and the new presidency is a legitimate one. However, as Christians we are also called to call out and challenge our governments, like the prophets did in the Bible, when they fall short of God’s standards for the just, peaceful and sustainable world he wants to see. As the book of Proverbs says, “Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and the needy” (Prov 31: 8 – 9) (Arise Manifesto, pg 71 – 72). That will mean Christians in the US and around the world holding the Trump presidency (and indeed every government) to account. It will mean challenging and calling out any attempt to undermine democracy and human rights, any policy that goes backwards on tackling climate change and environmental degradation, and anything that increases poverty and inequality. Arise will continue to do this.
For the governments of other nations in the international community, especially democratic nations that believe in peace and human rights, they too must challenge and call out US government policies, and make it clear where they disagree (Arise Manifesto, pg 120). However, as they do this it is also important that nations, and indeed individual citizens, stay calm and don’t overreact to every strong statement and tweet. President Trump’s style is to be combative and outrageous, but such comments are almost always rhetorical negotiating positions. His administration often changes its mind and rolls back from them in final policies and deals. Therefore, nations should speak out where needed, and not compromise or hold back, but do so wisely and whilst also maintaining good and constructive diplomatic relations with the Trump presidency. This is important, no matter how distasteful they might find some of his policies, and no matter how much they might disagree. Maintaining good communications and diplomatic relations between nations is a crucial part of helping to build stability and peace in the international order (Arise Manifesto, pg 124). It is entirely possible to both retain good connections and to challenge and disagree on clear injustices. Finally, as the US does roll back on some commitments to action on climate change, international peace and human rights, it is crucial that other democratic nations continue to hold firm to all these ideals (Arise Manifesto, pg 125 – 126). They must become stronger, clearer and more unified in standing for these values and freedoms, and be prepared to do so even without the support of the US if necessary.
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