Trump: The rise and fall of a monster

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Even a week ago, Donald Trump looked like a fortunate man despite his utter madness and arrogance, but that ultimately transformed him into a monster who now faces a disgraceful end of his presidency.

He was lucky a week ago as no law could hold him accountable for trampling on the decades-old US democratic convention of making a concession speech, and congratulating the winner of November's high-voltage presidential election.

All of his actions, including legal battles with the courts to overturn election results, put to question the integrity of the US democracy, prompting analysts to compare its state with the fragile ones in developing countries.

But his unconstrained madness eventually resulted in the Capitol riot for which he was accused of inciting the insurrection to overturn the November election outcomes.

It was an insurrection by the executive chief against the legislature as the Congress was counting the electoral votes and certifying Biden's election as US president when it came under attack by Trump's followers.

The attack obstructed the discharge of powers and functions of the parliament and it was an obstruction to the democratic process.

So, more worries await Trump.

Though it is still debatable whether he will face criminal charges in connection with the violent siege on the US Capitol last week because of the country's broad free speech protections, his hope for taking part in the next presidential race is now in jeopardy.

The House, lower chamber of the US Congress, impeached him after Vice-President Mike Pence declined to invoke a constitutional provision, the 25th Amendment, to remove his boss from the office for his inability to discharge the powers and duties of the office.

As impeached, Trump became the first president in the history of the US to be impeached twice.

If he is convicted in a Senate trial, he may be barred from holding any public office in future. If so, this will seal his political fate.

Even if he again escapes the conviction in the Senate trial as it happened in 2019, another constitutional provision may hobble him. That provision bars a person from holding any office "under the United States" if the person has sworn an oath of allegiance to the Constitution and then "engaged in insurrection or rebellion" against the government or "given aid to the enemies" of the US.

Another big question is if his party will own him after all such disastrous consequences and a disgraceful end of his presidency.

He survived in the Senate trial last time as his party lawmakers vehemently opposed the impeachment.

This time around, the situation is different.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell who led building the wall against impeachment and protected Trump is now pleased about the Democratic effort to impeach Trump, believing it will make it easier to purge him from the party.

Some Republican Congresswoman has now launched a scathing attack on him accusing him of insurrection.

"The President of the United States summoned this mob, assembled the mob, and lit the flame of this attack," Republican Rep Liz Cheney said in a statement.

"This insurrection caused injury, death and destruction in the most sacred space in our Republic.

"There has never been a greater betrayal by a President of the United States of his office and his oath to the Constitution.

"I will vote to impeach the President."

Like Cheney, some other Republican Senators and Congressmen joined hands with Democrats to impeach Trump. So, the fall is inevitable.

Like the fall, his rise had been shrouded by controversy and outcry.

The rise of a monster

"Donald Trump is a phony, a fraud…Dishonesty is Donald Trump's hallmark."

Around five years ago Republicans Senator Mitt Romney used those "adjectives" to portray Trump in a sweeping broadside against him when he was in the race to secure the Republican ticket to run for presidency.

The 2016 presidential campaign saw a long string of stories showing scandals involving Trump, both large and small – from questionable business dealings to allegations of sexual assault and misconduct.

More than 160 of his party top guns had deserted him. Most of the newspapers including the Republican leaning ones had turned on him. All the polls indicated that his rival Hilary Clinton would win. Even when the voting started, the projection had shown Clinton's winning chance of 85%.

But nothing could derail his presidential hopes. He made a fool of the world and triumphed by defeating Hillary Clinton who won more popular votes than Trump.

A man who so openly boasted about groping women was elected president of the USA, the world largest economy. A business Mughal, who never held any elected office, became the US president.

His rise to the presidency was like a monster that grew much bigger in four years in the White House.

The demagogue rose to the top office rank on populism. His win appeared as a victory of populism globally. Populists leaders from America to Europe found their global leader in the White House that shape and reshape global order.

His four-year rule was marked by dissing allies, trade turmoil, anti-climate actions, attacks on press freedom, and abuse of power.

In Bangladesh, such a parallel character like Trump was Salahuddin Quader Chowdhury, who was notorious for his vulgarism in speech and penchant for demeaning people.

He met a disgraceful end as he was prosecuted and executed for war crimes a few years ago.

After he steps out of the White House on January 20, he may face legal threats ranging from investigations into alleged frauds in his business dealings in New York to possible obstruction of justice charges.

The fates of such people like Salahuddin and Trump remind us of the saying, "What goes up, must come down."

Shakhawat Liton is the Deputy Executive Editor of The Business Standard