Day 0
We’ve known that this day would come for months (years for the more pessimistic minds), it finally has: Donald Trump is official President of the United States — again. And, as is the case with most sequels, this one is quite likely to be worse than the first instalment.
Trump now knows how the system works: he already started clearing out federal agencies and cabinets, all the while nominating blindly faithful lieutenants to key positions, no matter how unqualified they are (see: Pete Hegseth, a drunk TV host-turned Defence Minister, in a turn of events no screenwriter worth their salt would dare suggest). Many decisions made during his first term were wrong by mistake; from that point on, they will be wrong by design.
Trump now has nothing to lose: this is his second and last term (no matter what some of his zealots are claiming) and it very much comes as his get-out-of-jail-free card, so we can safely assume he will milk these next four years to his personal benefit — and that of his “friends” — even more so than the first time. By optimizing taxes for the richer, by cutting down federal programs for the poorer (see: Obamacare, which one hopes will survive this), by generally aiming for all short term gains, be they at the stock exchange or by buying and selling businesses while the earth is still breathable. What are four years going to change when it comes to global warming? Probably a lot, but he will still be dead before any of the major signs start showing… here.*
Trump now has managed to steer enough lost souls, disenfranchized communities, disenchanted citizens into his web of lies and semi-truths to give wings to his simplistic and reactionary agenda. Like Zuckerberg recently stated, in a remarkable example of modern hypocrisy, it is true that masculinity had been lacking in society as of late. I mean, since when should we prosecute every single sex offender looking to get a federal appointment? Let’s not get carried away, gender is a fact. Moving on.
So here we are: four years of opportunistic fast balls, societally nefarious decisions and generally selfish actions to be expected. The fact still remains — Donald Trump will die and a new era will rise from these backward ashes. Just you wait.
* It has just been announced that the Trump administration will — once again — withdraw from the Paris Accord on climate. No surprise there.