The return of Donald Trump to the White House inspires the French press, verbose, but overall rather suspicious and critical of the new president who will be sworn in on Monday January 20. La Tribune Sunday announces to us a “ rupture », and « new world disorder “, do ” authoritarianism, religious nationalism, economic sovereignism, and exacerbated populism “. While, specifies the newspaper, “ the Trump of today is much more prepared than eight years ago, much more powerful too. He has in his pocket everything that could play the role of counter-power in his country: the Supreme Court, Congress, the business world. »
The New Obs is hardly more optimistic, and puts Donald Trump and Elon Musk on the front page, with this headline: “ The new imperialism ”, and this subtitle: “ The billionaire duo opens a dangerous new era in international relations, in which the White House assumes an uninhibited hegemonic desire ». « The world enters terra incognita”, announces for his part l’Express« not only can almost no one stop Trump (…) but he has also added a viceroy in the person of Elon Musk, who also dreams of shattering the established rules ».
« Bloated egos »
The Donald Trump-Elon Musk duo has an uncertain future. At least that is the point of view of New Obswho wonders if “ the inflated egos of Musk and Trump will agree for the long term. » Some “laughing under their breath”, speak of “President Elon Musk”. What doesn’t worry Donald Trump too much: « I am calmhe said. Do you know why? He can’t be president, he wasn’t born in this country “. Way to remember that Elon Musk was born in South Africa and that he does not underestimate his ambitions.
As for the new Trump administration, “ it looks like a jumble of contradictory ideologies », continues the New Obs : « populists and plutocrats, traditional conservatives, new right mavericks and democratic defectors, proponents of protectionism and representatives of industries with supranational interests ». « My reason for hopeexplains political scientist Lee Drutman, is that they are overwhelmed by the internal struggles between the big money and the populist faction ».
Trumpian unpredictability
The weekly press also focuses on Donald Trump’s international ambitions. L’Expresswho compares Donald Trump to a “ dynamiter “, returns to what he calls ” the fireworks of provocations against its allies ». « During a press conference at Mar-a-Lago in Florida, the president-elect assured that he was not ruling out anything. Neither to attack Panama to regain control of the interoceanic canal ceded to this country at the end of 1999, nor to seize Greenland – an integral part of Denmark for two centuries, nor to put pressure on Canada to make it the 51st American state. » « The 47th president was believed to be an isolationist », added l’Express« we discover him imperialist ». « He believes he can achieve more through aggression than through cooperation. In this he resembles Vladimir Putin ».
-A prospect that scares Europe: “ Trumpian unpredictability puts European actors in a state of stress that they have not experienced since… the Republican’s previous mandate “, REMARK l’Express. While for the New Obs« this sudden brutality of international relations particularly targets Europe, which has the courage to want to regulate the tech giants, and which is opposing Putin by supporting Ukraine. » The weekly launches a sort of appeal: “it is imperative that after Trump’s inauguration, the European Union pulls itself together and agrees to assert itself as the only geopolitical entity capable of confronting the America that is taking shape ».
Wind of freedom
However, some French newspapers support Donald Trump. This is the case of Sunday Newspaper who is enthusiastic about the idea of the mark that Donald Trump will leave in history. “ He will never have been so close to the goal he set for himself since his first steps in the White House: to transmit his vision of America, and his way of leading as a legacy. Do with the country what he did with the Republican Party by reconciling the working classes and the ruling classes. » The JDD particularly salute Donald Trump’s plans on immigration, while he enjoys the support ” of most local executives, law enforcement and especially public opinion, tired of four years of negligence ». « Good luck with human rights! », exclaims, with irony, the JDD who adds: “ Under Biden, 7.5 million migrants crossed the border without documents. »
The Sunday Newspaper also questioned Sarah Knafo, far-right MEP, who with her companion, former presidential candidate Éric Zemmour, is invited to the inauguration of Donald Trump. “ How does she interpret this invitation? » asks the JDD. “ A wind of freedom is blowing over the West, she replies, this movement is growing in the United States, Italy, and Great Britain. I think, without pretension, that we are the French representatives “. Donald Trump therefore chose his guests well.
