USA i dag

 

The Economist today A Sunday edition of our daily newsletter

Adam Roberts Digital editor

Do you expect Donald Trump to seek—and get—a third term? One man certainly does. Steve Bannon, a close adviser to Mr Trump over the years, says bluntly that he is sure to be returned to occupy the White House again in 2028. Mr Bannon sets out, in a remarkable video interview with The Economist, that the constitution’s prohibition on third terms would have to make way for the wishes of Mr Trump. Supposedly a plan has already been dreamt up to make that possible. The justification? Mr Bannon says that ordinary Americans are growing so angry with the state of the world that there is a strong risk of violent political upheaval. He talks frequently of “war”. Only Mr Trump—annointed by God—can deliver what the ordinary American needs. The views of Mr Bannon are disturbing and undemocratic. He presumably conveys what many within the MAGA movement believe. Mr Bannon is both humorous and extreme: at one point in our interview he likens himself to Robespierre, one of the more bloodthirsty figures of the French revolution. What Mr Bannon fails to admit is that Americans at large are deeply unhappy with their current president. Mr Trump loves to smash things up—whether the East Wing of the White House or institutions—and seems not to care about the long closure of the federal government. (Meanwhile I find it troubling that a private donor, reportedly, will now pay the salaries of American soldiers.) Ordinary Americans reckon that Mr Trump’s handling of the economy is going badly. He is ultra-sensitive at being reminded of Ronald Reagan’s dismissal of the use of tariffs as a mistaken, short-sighted policy. That reminder came in the form of an advertisement aired in America and sponsored by the Canadian province of Ontario, which quotes Reagan’s opinion. In response, Mr Trump said would raise tariffs on Canada by 10%. Our tracker shows that he is polling steadily worse as his presidency progresses: his net approval, at minus 17 points, is the lowest of his presidency. And yet Mr Bannon claims, like all the authoritarians I’ve ever spoken to or reported on in Africa and Asia, that the public is clamouring for the leader to be handed yet more power.