The Democrats will have two and a half months before Donald Trump takes office in January to stir the United States in directions that are contrary to the plans of the Republican president-elect, former Assistant Treasury Secretary Paul Craig Roberts told Sputnik.
"For the next two and one-half months, the US government remains in the hands of Democrats and the ruling elite. This gives them plenty of time to commit the US in directions contrary to Trump's agendas. It also gives them time for another assassination attempt. Trump has no executive power until he is inaugurated in mid-January. It is important to understand that the ruling elite regard Trump's presidency as an existential threat to themselves," Roberts said.
It will be important for Trump to present himself as a tough leader, which appeals to his supporters and shields him from media accusations of being an agent of a foreign power, Roberts said. This, however, could make his administration vulnerable to infiltration by the so-called neoconservatives, known for their hawkish foreign policy.
"Unfortunately, this plays into the hands of the warmonger neoconservatives who have controlled US foreign policy since the George W. Bush regime. Their hawkishness makes them attractive associates for Trump, because together they present a tough front which Trump's supporters want to see," Roberts warned.
The former senior official in the Reagan administration drew attention to Trump's strong personality, which may affect his personnel decisions.
"Some strong men are comfortable with strong subordinates, but others prefer yes-men. Trump's first term was littered with people of weak character and low integrity, and they were traitorous. Did he learn his lesson as he claims, and can he find strong men who will put their reputation in the line of fire?" Roberts added.
A presidential election took place in the United States on November 5. Republican candidate Donald Trump, who served as the US president from 2017-2021, was declared the winner by all leading race callers and networks, namely the Associated Press, Decision Desk HQ, Fox News, and CNN, NBC, ABC and CBS from the National Election Pool consortium, as he secured enough votes in the Electoral College to win the election. Democratic candidate Kamala Harris conceded defeat in an address to her supporters, and US President Joe Biden congratulated Trump.
The Electoral College, the group of presidential electors from the states, will vote for the candidate whom each state’s voters have chosen on December 17, and the results will be certified by Congress on January 6. The presidential inauguration will take place on January 20.
Trump became the first US president since the 19th century to be elected to non-consecutive terms.