US President Donald Trump gestures as he speaks during a rally at Toledo Express Airport in Swanton, Ohio on September 21, 2020. (Photo by MANDEL NGAN / AFP)
The United States is seen as the blueprint for democracy … land of the free and home of the brave.
However, its image was left tarnished after the embarrassing scenes from Washington, DC, on Wednesday.
A crowd, made up of supporters of President Donald Trump, stormed the Capitol, challenging the transfer of power to Joe Biden. It led to chaos and violence at the very heart of US democracy.
The ease at which Trump’s supporters barged in is a huge concern, but the bigger picture sees the world losing confidence in the US.
Many countries didn’t waste time to lash out at the United States with senior Russian lawmaker Konstantin Kosachyov saying it is “clear that American democracy is limping on both feet”, and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani saying the scenes “shows above all how fragile and vulnerable Western democracy is”.
Former president Barack Obama’s top security aide Ben Rhodes said “Americans should not have any illusions: today’s images, like the Trump presidency, will permanently alter how the United States is viewed around the world.”
EU’s foreign policy chief Josep Borrell condemned an “assault on US democracy”, while former US president George W. Bush said: “This is how election results are disputed in a banana republic – not our democratic republic.”
It’s felt that Trump set the actions of the mob in motion by continuing to not accept the results of an election he lost.
He has claimed the election was rigged against him. He has never provided substantive evidence, nor has he been successful in court challenges.
Trump needs to move on so the United States can move on.
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