The midterm elections in the United States are probably the most important elections in modern U.S. history since the election of President Abraham Lincoln in November 1860. It is debatable whether the United States, a republic and a democracy, will remain so. That is the great issue at stake. It is a contest between courage and cowardice, truth and lies, corruption and honesty, morality and evil, and possibly between misprision of treason under U.S. federal law (18 U.S.C. § 2382), and patriotism. These are the stakes in a trial for democracy.
In the first element, as between courage and cowardice it is asserted that Mr Trump has been enabled to act as he does by the failure to prosecute him and his malcontents for the attack on the capital in January 2022. Second, it has been asserted that the United States Supreme Court gave Mr Trump greater incentive and confidence for his misdeeds by declaring an unprecedented opinion in presidential immunity on someone who was a convicted criminal and twice impeached president.
It appears that under the United States system of governance the president has control of foreign policy. During World War II President Roosevelt exercised this power at the expense of his Secretary of State, Cordell Hull. Fortunately, in those days President Franklin Delano Roosevelt was on Britain’s side against dictatorships. In the current state of international relations, it is unclear which side the United States is on. Sadly, it appears Mr Trump favours Russia in its illegal war against Ukraine, indeed, he has been described as being a mob boss demonstrating fealty to another mob boss despite the fact the United States is militarily and in most other respects much stronger than Putin’s regime. Trump’s personal abuse and vitriolic attacks on President Zelensky represent a dishonourable betrayal of a country fighting for its democracy and survival. The fact is Ukraine has borne the onslaught in defending freedom in Europe against Russian tyranny to the benefit not just of Europe but of America. This is because the United States was the key founder of the North Atlantic Treaty Alliance which was formed to protect European independence and democracy. A recent trend of Trump’s incoherent and unjustifiable policy over the last few weeks has been beyond questionable with unjustifiable attacks on President Zelensky, British soldiers and the Democratic Party. The language used is not that of diplomacy, nor of politics, or international relations; it is language that is not characteristic of people who place honour their constitution or laws.
In an inaugural address to a department where I undertook my recent international relations research, Professor Rory Stewart gave some illustrations of Trumpian rhetoric. Secretary for War, Hesketh, said that
“our ungrateful allies in Europe should be saying thank you.”
Trump’s Vice President Vance speaking in 2025 referred to a real threat from within from a “woke generation”. Another illustration was Trump’s disgusting fake video of him beating Prime Minister Carney with an ice hockey stick. Reference could also be made to Trump’s grotesque threats against Canada, Greenland and the EU since he returned to office. Even more shameful perhaps was the reduction in Starshield, the military-grade version of SpaceX’s Starlink satellite service, which enables the Ukrainian army to detect incoming ballistic missiles and Russian jet drones. The interruption in the system resulted in widespread damage to infrastructure and numerous civilian casualties. Just why and how this was interrupted must be a subject of serious investigation when the US Congress returns after the midterms.
Another shameful if not humiliating event was the greeting Mr Witkoff Trump’s envoy gave Mr Putin, a prolific war criminal, as a “humanitarian”. It is doubtful in the annals of US diplomacy that one could find any precedent for this incredible pronouncement.
Given this depressing news and listening to Professor Tim Snyder, a University of Yale professor, talking to Glenn Kushner, a former US Department of Justice prosecutor on You Tube, Legal AF, Snyder described the situation in the United States as that where people needed to exhibit courage to stand up for the rule of law and democracy. If the Democrats win the midterms, they must hold the miscreants accountable for their crimes. As he sees it Trump does not care about his duties as president or American’s welfare. Trump’s sole focus is on making money by exploiting crises. Ukraine will not fall for military failure because its army is the most effective in Europe. If Ukraine falls it will be because Trump has betrayed western democracy and the champion of western democracy to an autocrat and dictator for concessions he and his cronies are winning in Russia. Senator Ossoff has suggested that billions of dollars are being paid to Russia for that purpose. Professor Snyder says Trump’s intentions are quite apparent not hidden. Maybe Americans regardless of politics will see through it for what it is: blatant corruption on an industrial scale. If the Democratic Party wins the midterm elections, then they will need to investigate all the crimes of the current administration. Snyder says there must be accountability to restore democracy and the rule of law to a country that was formed on the basis that all men are created equal. That fundamental principle of American democracy has clearly been undermined.
In view of the gravity of these US midterm elections which raise a question of the highest importance for the survival of America as a Republic and a democracy it is sobering to reflect upon a time in Anglo-American history when Britain was at war with its American colonists and the words of that great statesman and lawyer Edmund Burke writing in 1777 to a friend:
“…But we have to lament that in most of the late proceedings we see very few traces of that generosity, humanity and dignity of mind which formerly characterised this nation.”
He was speaking of England, but today it must apply to the United States.
