Obama Roasts Trump: An Analysis of Trump’s Legacy as the Worst US President
The Early Days
When Trump first announced his candidacy for president in 2015, few took him seriously. As a reality TV star with no political experience, Trump seemed like a long shot to actually secure the Republican nomination, let alone win the presidency. However, through bullying tactics, outrageous lies, and stoking fear and division, Trump was able to overcome more qualified Republican opponents to take control of the party. While Trump ran on bold nationalist promises like building a border wall and bringing back manufacturing jobs, observers noted that he lacked any real understanding of or solutions for the complex policy issues facing the country.
Dividing the Nation
As president, Trump governed through chaos, disruption and constant attacks on his perceived enemies. He worked tirelessly to undermine faith in long-standing institutions and vilified ethnic and religious minorities. Where previous presidents sought to unite the nation, even during times of disagreement, Trump celebrated discord and polarization. His use of inflammatory rhetoric on Twitter and at rallies heightened political and social tensions in America to a dangerous level. Under Trump, political divisions in the US widened into a chasm as citizens were pushed further into their partisan corners.
Corruption and Chaos
From the start, Trump surrounded himself with incompetent and corrupt advisors who shared his affinity for self-dealing and bending the rules. A revolving door of senior staff departures kept the White House in a constant state of turmoil. Numerous top aides and Cabinet members faced criminal charges, with some receiving prison terms. Trump himself was impeached for abuse of power after pressuring Ukraine to interfere in the 2020 election for his own political gain. The chaos of Trump’s administration undermined stability both at home and America’s global standing.
Bungling the Pandemic
When the COVID-19 pandemic struck in early 2020, Trump downplayed the threat and resisted calls to take decisive action. As the virus spread exponentially, Trump refused to coordinate a national response or use wartime powers to accelerate medical supply production. Over 200,000 Americans have died so far due largely to the disastrous leadership vacuum. Trump has attacked experts, spread misinformation, and fails to model responsible behavior by holding superspreader rallies against health guidelines. His failure to contain the pandemic will undoubtedly go down as one of the worst policy failures by a US president.
The Economy and Trade Wars
While Trump took credit for trends that predated his presidency, such as low unemployment and stock market gains, cracks began to appear in the economy in 2020. His trade wars with China and allies introduced massive disruption and cost American industries billions. Farm bankruptcies soared due to tariffs on exports. Trump’s handling of the economy was characterized more by bravado than results. As COVID-19 dragged growth negative, the true fragility of Trump’s illusory boom came into focus, leaving the next administration to handle the fallout.
An Unprecedented Disgrace
By all objective measures, the Trump presidency has been an unmitigated disaster for America’s global image, democratic institutions, and social cohesion. Where leaders are judged by how they rise to their nation’s most difficult challenges, Trump has shown himself to be petty, vindictive and utterly lacking in leadership when it matters most. History will long examine how so much went so wrong in such a short time. Regardless of short term outcomes, Trump’s legacy as the worst president in modern American history is already sealed.
