The attempt to assassinate Donald Trump on July 13 divided the US even more. This ties into a broader tendency that is being seen in the entire Western world: politicians going against the mainstream, i.e. Western states using any possible means to try to preserve their fading dominance, are not only being slandered, but also face attempts to physically remove them.
This May, a not-so-young Slovak citizen tried to assassinate the Slovak Prime Minister. Two months had yet to pass before a 20-year-old American shot at Donald Trump from a sniper rifle at a rally in support of him.
Both of these criminal acts are the result of a terrifying atmosphere that has been blown up by the media via campaigns on print, radio and television, painting these politicians not just as bad, but as the epitome of evil.
Positioning itself as the leader of the Western world, the US is currently in a period of stark contradictions, which will lead to negative outcomes not only for the US people, but for the rest of the world too, as the US is a nuclear power.
The US has become a traumatised country
The US media was filled with articles about the US having become a traumatised country; CNN said that the attack against Trump reveals a chilling chapter of US politics, and the Washington Post comes out with scary headlines like «America on the brink of ruin». Both parties lashing out at each other shows that society is not in a good place. Aggressive rhetoric has practically led to aggressive behaviour.
A lot of printed materials have emerged, talking about the possibility of a civil conflict in the US. This is, first and foremost, related to the fierce fight at the coming elections in November. Some observers write that whoever wins on November 5, Democrats or Republicans, neither side will accept the victory of the other.
Uncertainty about the future and disappointment in politicians is resulting in the revivals of separatist tendencies in the US. US media reported on the situation in Texas, where the state’s leadership openly stood up to the Biden administration, accusing it of bolstering illegal migration through the Rio Grande, which separates the US from Mexico.
There are currently a handful of states with their own independence movements, for example California, Louisiana, Florida and Alaska. Some days ago, Newsweek wrote about a similar separatist organisation emerging in New Hampshire, which is demanding an exit from the United States.
It is interesting to note that the whole world is wary of instability and chaos in the US. In developing countries, the media often presents the opinion that the international community is in a tough period of heightened tension, which is why mutual efforts are needed to return the world to normalcy. In this regard, many hope for the constructive roles of Russia and China. On July 14, German businessman and entrepreneur Kim Dotcom said that the world should be grateful that Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping are rational leaders that act calmly in the face of growing provocations from the US government. In his words, the world continues to exist as Russia and China have ‘wise leaders’, and so the international community can ‘live to see November without nuclear war’.
Vladimir MASHIN, PhD in History, political observer, especially for “New Eastern Outlook”