The Trump administration is off again: what can we expect from the tycoon's government?
Institutional Communication Service
On 20 January Donald Trump was sworn in as the 47th President of the United States of America. His second presidential term began under the shadow of some tough and controversial moves and statements. What can we expect from the next four years? Prof. Jean-Patrick Villeneuve, Professor at the Faculty of Communication, Culture and Society at the Università della Svizzera italiana (USI), shared his thoughts in an interview aired on TeleTicino.
"I expect almost anything from this second Trump presidency, I imagine that it will be one surprise after another," Professor Jean-Patrick Villeneuve said. "It will definitely be interesting for the media, but I'm not so sure for American citizens or for those key players, such as Mexico, Canada and Europe, for whom the United States is the most important trading partner." Trump's victory, explained the USI professor, worries not only Europe, but also Canada, since 76% of Canadian exports go to the United States, and any border blockade would be extremely damaging to the nation's economy.
This is the second term of office for Trump, who this time, compared to the first, has a clearer idea of how things work: "There is definitely a thirst for revenge, as Trump himself admits. First of all, however, the new president wants to change things as quickly as possible, without wasting time," Professor Villeneuve explained. More than a hundred acts ratified in the first hours of the new inauguration, incidentally, certify this intention.
The USI professor then analysed the US president's staff, starting with his deputy, J. D. Vance, a somewhat surprising choice at first: "With this choice, if Trump for whatever reason should be unable to fulfil his role, he would be succeeded by a younger person, but one with the same political standing and who believes in the same values". A key role is also played by billionaire and businessman Elon Musk, who will lead the Department of Government Efficiency in the Trump government. The political influence acquired during the tycoon's campaign, for a man of his stature, is frightening: "It is troubling that the richest person in the world should also enjoy political power," Villeneuve notes. "Joe Biden also mentioned it: an oligarchy is a danger to democracy. We will see whether the old and established American system will be able to cope with this. We will also have to see whether Trump will appreciate having so many prominent personalities around him during his term of office".
The full interview with Professor Jean-Patrick Villeneuve, aired on TeleTicino, is available at the following link.
