Donald Trump’s irresponsible headlong rush

LWorrying signals about the state of democracy are accumulating in the United States. On October 15, the Republican candidate, Donald Trump, refused to come out in favor of a peaceful transition of power following the presidential election to be held on November 5. Likewise, he considered exemplary that which occurred four years earlier, playing with all the keys of conspiracy to put into perspective the assault of his supporters against the Capitol, on January 6, 2021, who nevertheless wanted to prevent the certification of the victory of Democrat Joe Biden. This latest outrage occurred just two days after the Republican had agonized over his political adversaries, described as“enemy from within”, against whom it would be appropriate to dispatch “the national guard”even “the army”.

These irresponsible comments did not arouse the national emotion that they would have aroused just a few years ago. It is true that they are part of a long history of devastating anathemas for the democratic contract which has bound the citizens of the United States for almost two and a half centuries. By denouncing since the 2016 presidential campaign the “faking” of the ballot to cheaply explain a possible defeat, then drowning for more than two months in the derisory and vain contestation of the result of that of 2020, this false patriot has contributed much more to weakening the institutions of his country than all attempts at foreign interference combined.

The ex-president’s responsibility is overwhelming, but he was able to count on powerful relays. The Supreme Court of the United States, modeled by Donald Trump during his mandate, did everything to avoid answering for his actions before November 5. The conservative channel Fox News was forced in 2023 to pay nearly 800 million dollars (around 737 million euros) to avoid a defamation trial, which it would have lost, after having slavishly defended the thesis of rigging of voting machines peddled by Donald Trump. The richest man in the United States, Elon Musk, is now putting his fortune and the disinformation disseminated by his powerful social network, X, at the service of this detestable company.

What can also be said of the Republican leaders who still refuse today to publicly recognize the defeat of 2020 so as not to risk being pilloried, starting with the one who could become vice-president of the leading world power, JD Vance, who is wallowing now shamelessly in the lie of a stolen victory. What should we also think of those officials who openly considered, just a few weeks ago, modifying at the last minute the rules in force regarding the allocation of electoral votes in the state of Nebraska to deprive the Democratic candidate, Kamala Harris, of in a voice that could prove crucial in the event of very close results?

Such a breeding ground explains why one Republican voter in four favoring Donald Trump today believes that in the event of defeat on the evening of November 5, the latter should declare the results invalid and “do whatever it takes” to take office, according to a Public Religion Research Institute poll released October 16. This figure is chilling, and shows what has become of the party which once presented itself as that of law and order.