“The man is charismatic, unpredictable and impossible to decipher. He is able to make deals and turn disadvantages into advantages. A man of bias and hatred, his short phrases are bombs, his will is iron, and his luck is golden” - this is how the editor-in-chief of the newspaper “Ash Sharq al-Awsat” Ghassan Charbel describes Donald Trump, who begins his second term as president of the United States today.
“He is back. Tighten your seatbelts,” the journalist continues, pointing out that Trump’s entry into the Oval Office affects everyone, whether they are an ordinary citizen, “the emperor on Mao Zedong’s throne, the anxious Zelensky or the troubled tsar,” and “presence is mandatory, whether you are sitting in the office of Charles de Gaulle or Winston Churchill.
When Americans vote, they are not just electing a president, they are crowning a general for the “global village,” claims Charbel, citing as evidence the fact that fear of Trump’s words “hellfire” accelerated the Gaza ceasefire agreement.
The author specifies that this phenomenon goes beyond the personality of one person and is related to the role of the United States, without which the world cannot do and which is essential for understanding the Middle East, Iran, Taiwan, the Russian war in Ukraine, climate change, etc.
“America is not an ordinary story. It is not just a collection of powerful fleets resembling strict, mobile nations. It is an economy, a center of innovation, freedom, technology, universities and artificial intelligence. It is a nation uniquely capable of making mistakes and correcting them,” points out the editor-in-chief of the London-based Saudi publication.
He expects exciting days ahead - from the challenge of China's “TikTok” (TikTok) to Iran's nuclear program, from confronting the “Chinese threat” to dealing with migration issues, from peace in the Middle East to peace in Ukraine – "a difficult peace at a high price".
“The man will be an impressive figure. He is the master of the White House, a brave gambler who does not accept defeat. By electing him, America has thrown a huge stone into the waters of the world. Tighten your belts,” Charbel concludes.