Trump hysteria is leading his opponents to deny any good he does, too

This week has seen a larger number of people than ever ask if President Donald Trump has lost the plot. A confrontation with North Korea brought accusations that he was recklessly beating a path to a Third World War. But perhaps the question we need to ask is, is it his opponents who have become unhinged? Have they lost the ability to conduct a rational discussion about the Trump administration’s policies, in favour of indulging only in foamy-mouthed hysteria?

I, along with many others, remain sceptical that Trump and his Twitter feed are the best vehicles for discussion and diplomacy. But as North Korea becomes a more potent threat to neighbouring countries and the West, it is indeed refreshing to have a president willing to engage with the risks and tackle foreign policy issues head-on. In the Obama era, the Leader of the Free World sat on the sidelines, allowing Syria to descend into chaos and North Korea’s nuclear programme to gain momentum.

This is not to suggest that there are no legitimate criticisms of the Trump administration – indeed, there are many. The president’s first attempt at a travel ban – which targeted citizens in seven Muslim-majority countries – was a sloppy and ugly piece of legislation, and was rightfully torn apart. The bill’s inclusion of green card holders, who have a legal right to work in America, revealed severe doubts about the ability of the new administration to vet its own work; and the blatant targeting of religious beliefs served as a cold reminder that the president’s remarks on the campaign trail about minority groups should be taken much more literally than his advocates would have us believe.

But the suspension of both attempted bans cannot be credited to hysterical outcries. It was the actions of courts across the country and groups like the American Civil Liberties Union that got the job done. No tears, no shouts – just cool, sober analysis.

It’s worrying that Trump-hysteria creates an ineffectual climate in which to challenge the administration’s deficiencies. But what’s more worrying is the self-fulfilling hypocrisy that comes with it. Gone are the days when opposition to a politician resulted from policy disagreement. Opposition to Trump – regardless of circumstances – is now the sole goal.

Stimulus-cheerleader Paul Krugman has been using his New York Times column for years to argue in favour of deficit-spending to boost economic growth. Now, in a move that would be very amusing if it weren’t so gutless, Krugman declares stimulus “probably won’t work”. Keynesian policy is no good to the Left any more if it takes form in Donald Trump.

Meanwhile, elected Democrats sit fully opposed to incremental changes to the Affordable Care Act, despite the policy remaining unsustainable and driving up costs for their constituents. The vote to roll back ObamaCare was ultimately suspended due to conservative backlash, proclaiming that it did not go far enough. But this gives rise to the question: why wouldn’t Democrats support moderate changes to keep many aspects of their bill alive?

These inconsistencies stick out like a sore thumb, and they’re not exclusive to the States. It would be unwise and unfair to attribute Trump’s brash behaviour and rhetoric to British party leaders; but on the policy front, there are obvious overlaps. While Trump attempts to curb immigration, the British Prime Minister, Theresa May, has voluntarily recommitted her party to an immigration cap of “tens of thousands” – an economically and ethically disastrous policy.

And while Trump leans towards protectionism for American industry, UK parties across the political spectrum support subsidies for propping up British steel and agriculture. Jeremy Corbyn goes so far as to promote nationalisation. But where Trump is lambasted and ridiculed for his insular instincts, other politicians get a free pass.

It’s time for Trump’s opponents, including those within the media, to navigate their way out of the woods. The only way to keep politicians like The Donald accountable is to apply the same standards for him and his policies as for anyone else. The decision to support or condemn must be determined through rationality, sobriety and honesty. None of these are compatible with hysteria.