Trump’s handiwork has come to this

Views from around the world. These opinions are not necessarily shared by Stuff newspapers.

In a divided America, the events that unfolded on Capitol Hill should unite us all. In a universal sense of national shame and embarrassment. Under President Donald Trump, the United States – historically a beacon of freedom and citadel of liberty – has devolved into a shocking exemplar of dysfunction. Congratulations, Mr Trump. Our Shining City on the Hill is now a tarnished emblem of national disgrace. The American carnage you promised to eradicate at the beginning of your term has turned to reality at the end of it.

What to do about this man who has brought such ignominy upon our country? Censure by Congress? Certainly. Criminal exposure for inciting violence and pressuring Georgia’s secretary of state to flip that

state’s election results? Perhaps.

But can any punishment truly fit the crime? Four years of Trump’s divisive leadership have produced impeachable conduct, failed management of a pandemic that has killed 360,000 Americans, and the undermining of democracy with selfserving and contrived claims of voter fraud. And now – as a capstone – he fomented mob violence that had all the earmarks of an insurrection. All the way, he was abetted by sycophantic Republican enablers in Congress.

One way or another, Trump will soon be gone from the White House. It will be left to Joe Biden and the people of the United States to convince the world that Wednesday’s disgraceful images don’t represent the essence of America.