Donald Trump is the cover character of the weekly Time magazine, one of the most relevant in the American press. In two long interviews with the former president and Republican candidate in this year’s elections, reporter Eric Cortellessa brings a portrait of what the Republican intends to do if he becomes the 47th American president.
“Donald Trump thinks he made a crucial mistake in his first term: he was too nice.”, begins the long report. In short, the report states that a Trump who is less dependent on the Republican party and more “trusting” would be planning a “imperial presidency” to reshape America as we know it.
Its number one objective is to remove approximately 11 million people from the country (3 out of every 100 US inhabitants), illegal immigrants. To do this, it would use the National Guard and the military against the civilian population itself, as well as build migrant detention camps across the country.
Furthermore, he indicates not changing the policy of reversing the right to abortion in the country, allowing states run by Republicans to monitor women’s pregnancies and prosecute those who violate the rules. Trump also promises to withhold funding from Congress according to his wishes, pardon all his supporters who invaded the Capitol in 2021 and leave NATO allies in the dark if they are attacked. Prosecutors who do not follow his orders may be fired, breaking a tradition maintained since the country’s founding in the 18th century.
“He is completely in war mode”, Steve Bannon, one of its oldest ideologues, summarized the magazine. “That’s where his obsession is now.”
In interviews with the magazine, the former president and a group of close advisors for domestic and foreign policy show that the second term will be an attempt to concentrate even more power in the hands of the presidentignoring or reversing checks and balances that exist between powers.
With the Supreme Court’s decision to reverse the federal right to abortion, taken in 2022, the final say would go to the states, and Trump does not indicate vetoing the return of abortions. Comstock lawsa series of laws from the 19th century that prevented the sending of content considered immoral or obscene — and abortion pills would be included on this list, paralyzing the procedure even in places where the practice is still legal.
He also advocates that the United States be paid for its troops stationed in other countries. This applies to places like South Korea — which relies on American troops to contain threats from North Korea — and NATO countries, under increasing threat from Russia.
At the end of the interview, Trump even tried to explain himself about one of his most controversial statements during this campaign, that he would act like a dictator, “but only on the first day”. He only says that the phrase, said on national television, was said “as a joke, sarcastically”, and compared it to when he suggested that the Russians hack Hillary Clinton’s emails (which, it turned out, actually happened).
If this threat of dictatorship would not be contrary to the principle that has governed America for two and a half centuries, the reporter points out, it does not seem to be something important to Trump. “I think a lot of people like it.”
Read more at Crusoe: In a key state, Trump has not yet had the unanimous support of his party
