Trump's trump card

The late US president Richard Nixon resigned on August 9, 1974 because of his alleged complicity in the so-called Watergate scandal that was triggered when five men, allegedly acting on behalf of president Nixon, broke into the Democratic National Committee (DNC) headquarters in Washington in June 1972 presumably to gather information that would mortally hurt the Democratic Party's candidate winning of the presidential election. Nixon's reasoning for resigning was interesting and worth recalling. Faced with an impending impeachment menace because of his alleged complicity in the scandal, Nixon concluded that he no longer enjoyed a strong political base in the country or in Congress to allow him to continue governing. He concluded then that his country needed a full-time president and not a leader who is preoccupied by so many domestic scandals, whether right or wrong. In retrospect, Nixon made the right decision even though his term of office had still two years to go before it ends. By putting the interests of his country ahead of his own personal interest, Nixon demonstrated a rare quality of leadership and statesmanship.

President Donald Trump is certainly bombarded and besieged by never ending allegations of wrong doings, including allegedly allowing himself to be compromised by Russia, after allegedly being photographed with a Russian woman in a Moscow hotel, albeit before his election as president of the US, the alleged payment of hush money to several women with whom he allegedly had sexual relationships prior to his election, his constant change of guards at the White House, and worse still, his loss of a steady hand on national and international policy issues. All these "issues" have rendered Trump a weakened or a wounded leader, who has lost his effective grip on power in Washington.

The mounting pressures on Trump has not forced him to reconsider the continuation of his presidency, especially when his electoral base among his Republican constituency appears to be holding steady, at least for the time being. Trump can withstand most of the charges against him with relative impunity, with the exception of the allegation that Russian President Vladimir Putin has something on him to the extent that if push comes to shove, President Trump may not be able to confront Putin as his arch enemy over basic policy issues. As a matter of fact, President Trump’s early words upon his assumption of power was that the US has no business making Russia an enemy and that it is all good and fine if the two countries end their confrontations and wage instead a cooperative relations. That could be Trump's worst worry and he needs, therefore, to address it head on no matter what could be the consequences. Trump's constituency would still stay on his side if he comes out open and candid on this issue. All other concerns can be dealt with in due course as they are not "fatal" enough for Trump's continued presidency. President Trump has already accumulated sufficient number of redeeming virtues that would assure him another term at the White House.