The Trump effect and the US Establishment's response is a warning for all Americans

Following his 2020 US presidential election defeat, a new chapter has unfolded for Donald Trump as the former president finds himself embroiled in multiple investigations and legal challenges. Notably, he faces the unprecedented scenario of a former US president facing criminal charges. The investigations cover a range of allegations, including his potential role in the Capitol Hill riot on 6 January 2021; his attempt to alter the election results in the state of Georgia; and the fact that he took confidential documents that should have remained in the White House to his Florida mansion, Mar-a-Lago. Recently, New York County District Attorney Alvin Bragg indicted Trump on 34 counts of first degree accounting record forgery related to the Stormy Daniels case. These charges are described as a “felony” offence, meaning that if he is found guilty, Trump could face imprisonment for the longest term permitted by the law.

Even before the aforementioned lawsuit, the former US president had already made a significant mark on American history with numerous firsts. Throughout his term in the White House he challenged and disrupted established norms and traditions within the system. Notably, he holds the distinction of being the first and only president to face impeachment proceedings twice.

When examining the complete process from Trump’s perspective, it is important to acknowledge his longstanding claims regarding a perceived ‘deep state’ structure that has allegedly been working against him since 2016. While the 4,095 lawsuits involving him or his companies prior to his presidency did not hinder his candidacy in 2016, the significance of the cases he has been involved in post-presidency makes it important to evaluate the events from his perspective. In this context, if we go to the last case, it becomes pertinent to scrutinise the prosecutor of the case, Alvin Bragg, who ran as a Democratic candidate for the 2021 New York County District Attorney election, supported by George Soros and his family. Soros’ son, Jonathan Soros, and Jonathan’s wife, Jennifer Allan Soros, also donated directly to Bragg’s campaign, according to New York campaign finance records reviewed by Fox News Digital.

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This information is important, because Trump claims that the 6 January riot, which he views as a stain on his presidency, was a “false flag” operation orchestrated by Antifa, the left-wing, anti-fascist organisation that he had formerly claimed was financed by Soros.

So, is ‘the “Establishment’’ behind Trump’s cases, as well as his unlawful actions, and what could be the reason for his struggle with “this structure” which he claims is acting against him?

During his presidency, Trump adopted a distinct approach, defying traditional Republican norms. His “America First” principle played a decisive role, not only in shaping foreign policy, straining the ties between the US and its allies in the process, but also in his domestic policies, where he repeatedly pushed the limits of executive branch authority and often found himself in opposition to the federal judiciary.

During his presidency, he confronted many major companies, such as United Technologies Corp, General Motors Co, and Ford Motor Co. He vowed to impose a 35 per cent tax or tariff on products shipped back to the US market by American companies that closed manufacturing plants and laid-off workers in favour of establishing plants abroad. Trump implemented these tariffs by executive order rather than congressional approval, thus opening a new page for America by preferring bilateral agreements instead of multilateral agreements. He imposed tariffs on steel (25 per cent) and aluminium (10 per cent) from most countries, including those in the European Union, China, India, Canada and Mexico. It has been suggested that the ensuing economic war with China during this period caused the 2018 global economic crisis.

A significant aspect of the Trump era was the US assuming a more isolated and independent stance, distancing itself from its role as a global leader. His assertion that NATO member countries owed the US their financial contributions to the alliance, coupled with his suggestion that the country may not fulfil its own financial obligations to NATO, shook America’s relations with its allies. A resolution rejecting Trump’s decision to recognise Jerusalem as Israel’s capital was approved by the UN General Assembly, exacerbating international tension even further. Despite Trump’s threats of economic sanctions, only Guatemala, Honduras, Israel, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, Palau and Togo voted against this resolution and aligned themselves with the US.

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Trump’s approach to national security diverged from his predecessors in several ways. He was the first president not to start a new war since Ronald Reagan, and he decided to withdraw US troops from active war zones. During his presidency, US troops thus withdrew from Syria and plans were set in motion for the exit strategy from Afghanistan. Moreover, his allegation that former President Barack Obama was the founder of Daesh/ISIS and the suggestion that his country did not actually adequately investigate the 9/11 terror attacks sparked controversy and challenged established norms contained within US security policies.

Donald Trump’s unique style and substantial support was the subject of many discussions throughout his presidency. His successor President Joe Biden’s economic and foreign policy profiles stand in stark contrast to those of the Trump era. Nevertheless, despite everything, Trump remains the Republican Party’s strongest presidential candidate. Furthermore, the charges against him and possible trials may be seen as a repercussion of his violation of US policies, rather than the prosecution of a president who acted against the law. These legal cases may serve as a reminder to America that preserving the stability of long-established policies takes precedence at a certain level. This sends a strong message to one and all.

The views expressed in this article belong to the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of Middle East Monitor.