Apparently, many Americans are amused by the thought of Donald Trump living in the White House. Perhaps they think if Trump is this outrageous and entertaining as a candidate, he will be just one laugh after another as president.
What Americans tend to forget is that the rest of the world does not have a vote in our election. Despite this, the occupant in the White House often has life and death power over the fate of peoples elsewhere. People around the world with no vote in our election or even a vote in their own elections will literally live or die because of decisions made by our government.
In March, my wife and I were in Ontario for a few days. In every shop we entered, Canadians put one question to us — are things so crazy in the U.S. that Donald Trump could actually become president? The Canadians who raised this question saw nothing funny about the prospect.
Our other neighbor, Mexico, having been the target of some of Trump’s most virulent attacks, has no love for the man either.
Europe is also quaking at the possibility. If George W. Bush frightened the Europeans with his “go it alone” policy toward Iraq in 2003, Trump’s total lack of foreign policy experience … well, it trumps Bush. Can anyone imagine any European head of state taking advice from Trump?
More than many Americans, Europeans understand Trump’s bluster as his way of covering the fact that he is clearly in over his head as a presidential candidate.
So who does like Trump? Vladimir Putin, the strongman and a bully in his own right, recognizes in Trump a version of himself. After Putin’s aggression against Crimea and after the mysterious deaths of so many of Putin’s political enemies, his endorsement of Trump should make us pause.
ISIS/ISIL also likes Trump. His Islamophobic message meshes nicely with their own propaganda pitch that Muslims will never be welcome in the West. For recruiting purposes, ISIS/ISIL actually puts excerpts of Trump’s speeches online. They might as well put him on their payroll.
The yard signs for Trump that are popping up sport the phrase “Make America Strong Again.” The reality is that Trump, as president, would “Make America the Terror of the World.”
I am one of many Americans who are praying for our country at this critical time in our history. I know that my prayers are countered by those of other Americans who are praying for Trump’s victory.
Nevertheless, I find it sobering that billions of people around the world are praying that America will come to its senses and reject a person with no political experience, no proven ability to understand world affairs, and yet a person who would control the largest military and nuclear arsenal in the world.
