It's been 2 years of Trump's smoke & mirrors presidency

Is there really a method behind the madness?

By Vicky Kapur (From the Executive Editor's desk)

Published: Sun 20 Jan 2019, 7:56 PM

Last updated: Mon 21 Jan 2019, 3:08 PM

It was exactly two years ago, at noon local time on January 20, 2017, that Donald Trump was inaugurated as the 45th President of the United States of America, succeeding Barack Obama who'd completed his limit of two terms. At the coveted halfway mark, when most leaders would be busy showcasing their accomplishments for anyone who'd care to listen, the usually loquacious Trump hasn't tweeted much (by his standards) about how great he's made America during the first two years of his presidency. Instead, he's busy picking a bone with 'fake' media and even 'mainstream' media about how unfairly he's been treated.
Trump has landed himself in a place where every utterance of his risks being dismissed as either racist, comical or just plain mischievous. But the Trumpian Twilight Zone camouflages some good work his administration has done in two years. Even though Trump continues to trumpet (sorry, couldn't resist) the economic achievements during his tenure so far - low unemployment numbers, 'great new trade deals', stock markets at an all-time high - his smoke and mirrors presidency has left analysts and political commentators scrambling to find a method behind the madness.
To be fair, billionaire Trump has actually secured substantial financial and economic gains for America, from a manufacturing mini-boom to a rise in median household income and record-low unemployment claims, among others. But he's had limited policy successes, and none of what he lists as his triumphs (pulling out of the Iran deal, moving the US Embassy to Jerusalem, an 'agreement' with North Korea's Kim Jong-un and the Syrian pull-out announcement) can be counted as Trump's moment in the sun. Even if one were to count these as his achievements,
It's rather ironic that the government is in shutdown mode (the longest ever) during his second anniversary. With 30 days and counting, the American public perceives him to be responsible for shutting down his own government, and Trump is nowhere near a breakthrough on the Mexican border wall financing. All said and done, Trump still has another two years to go (if he doesn't get himself impeached) to make a better impression as a president.