Peacemaker with a desire for revenge Celebrated abroad, but things are not going well for Trump at home
In fast-forward, US President Trump first visits Israel and then Egypt, where he solemnly announces the end of the Gaza war and is cheered on. On his return to the USA, old problems await him.
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- Donald Trump has been celebrated for his foreign policy successes during a one-day visit to the Middle East.
- While the US president presents himself as a peacemaker abroad, he is waging a campaign of retaliation at home.
- In addition, the ongoing shutdown in the USA means that things are still at a standstill: at the moment, nobody knows where Trump is steering the United States.
Donald Trump celebrates in Israel. People chant "Thank you, Trump" at spontaneous demonstrations. The US president, of all people, who has divided the world and America, has achieved what was hardly thought possible: To broker a peace agreement, or rather a deal, between Israel and Hamas.
Many important points in Trump's peace plan may still be unresolved: The fact that all surviving Israeli hostages have now been released, that the people of Gaza can really hope for peace, Trump has an undisputed share in this. He is being hailed in the Middle East as the great bringer of peace, a role in which he likes to see himself.
Good on the outside, bad on the inside
At home, however, the mood could not be more different. The USA is in the midst of a veritable domestic political crisis, in which Donald Trump is not entirely innocent.
-The government has been at a standstill for almost two weeks.
- Trump is trying to push through his political agenda by military means.
- Hardly any of his political opponents are safe from his revenge.
While Trump is trying to present himself as a peacemaker abroad, he is stoking a seemingly endless series of conflicts at home, writes the New York Times This divisiveness has become a defining element of Trump's presidency, providing ammunition for both his allies and his opponents.
No one really knows where the USA is heading domestically, and this is having an impact on Trump's popularity. Approval ratings have fallen to just over 40% - even worse than at the same point in his first term. Away from major MAGA events, Trump is unlikely to be able to take a dip in the sea of cheers in the USA.
Possibly the longest shutdown in history
On the one hand, Trump cannot be blamed for personally traveling to the Middle East to sign his Gaza deal. On the other hand, it does not necessarily go down well in the USA. Some people feel that the president has absconded despite the many construction sites at home - and with him some other high-ranking members of the government.
In addition, the members of the House of Representatives are unable to carry out their work because they are virtually locked out by Speaker Mike Johnson. The Republican leader of the US House of Representatives said he would not negotiate with the Democrats until they give up their demands on healthcare and allow the resumption of federal government operations, while Trump was celebrating in Israel.
The US government has been at a standstill since October 1, and it could possibly be the longest shutdown in history, says Johnson. 750,000 federal employees are on forced leave and essential professions have to continue working without pay.
Not everyone understands this. Air traffic controllers, for example, are increasingly calling in sick because they don't want to work without being paid. Air traffic has now been disrupted.
The country is at a standstill, the fronts are hardened
In keeping with his political nature, Donald Trump blames the Democrats exclusively for the problems. Trump refuses to negotiate to end the government shutdown and instead promises to inflict pain on the Democrats and their voters.
However, because they are not thinking of being shown up or giving in, the fronts are increasingly hardening. The White House is now responding with a first wave of announced mass redundancies. Well over 4,000 federal employees will lose their jobs permanently as a first step, the budget office announced in a document submitted to the court.
A particularly large number of redundancies are planned in the Ministry of Finance: More than 1400 people are to lose their jobs there. In the Ministry of Health, the figure is more than 1100.
Around 400 employees at the Department of Housing and Urban Development are also to go. Several hundred employees will also be fired from the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of Commerce, the Department of Education, the Department of Energy and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
Soldiers get their pay
At least Donald Trump wants to ensure that the soldiers in the US military are paid despite the budget blockade by reallocating funds. The Republican wrote on the Truth Social platform at the weekend that he was using his powers as commander-in-chief and had instructed the Pentagon to use all available means to ensure that the soldiers receive their pay on October 15.
Trump needs the soldiers. Not least because he is increasingly deploying the National Guard to "restore law and order" in cities governed by Democrats. After weeks of wrangling and, for the time being, court-restricted deployment of the National Guard in Chicago, units moved into Memphis at the weekend.
He benefits from the chaos
The shutdown is noticeably paralyzing the USA, but it is not (solely) dominating the headlines. Trump is triggering too many other controversies for that. Last week, he escalated campaigns against political opponents. First, former FBI chief James Comey had to appear in court, then New York Attorney General Letitia James was indicted.
"He [Trump] has basically turned the attention back on his opponents," says Julian E. Zelizer in the "New York Times". The professor of history at Princeton University has published a highly regarded collection of essays on Trump's first term in office. "There was no reason to push this impeachment right now. I think that fits his pattern of behavior. Ultimately, I think he believes that chaos benefits him," Zelizer analyzes.
Trump cannot resist revenge
It is not unusual in US history "for presidents to have contrasting successes in foreign and domestic policy. But as is so often the case with Trump, everything is more dramatic." The president cannot resist either going after his perceived enemies or simply doing controversial things to stir up divisions and exacerbate tensions.
The fact that Donald Trump allows himself to be celebrated as a peacemaker in the Middle East distracts attention not least from the fact that he is fighting to take the wind out of his political opponents' sails. "Foreign policy seems to be about scoring big wins and winning Nobel prizes, while at home he's seeking revenge for years of investigations and prosecutions," comments NYT journalist Ross Douthat.
But, "If there's one thing Middle East politics should teach the president, it's that true success lies outside the cycle of revenge - at least if you want your successes to last."
With agency material.
