US President Donald Trump arrives in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, to take part in the 17th annual September 11 observance at the Flight 93 National Memorial. Trump’s response to reports of his instability and lack of fitness for the presidency has been to attack the credibility of the source of the claims and emphasise the US economy’s strong performance. Photo: Reuters US President Donald Trump arrives in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, to take part in the 17th annual September 11 observance at the Flight 93 National Memorial. Trump’s response to reports of his instability and lack of fitness for the presidency has been to attack the credibility of the source of the claims and emphasise the US economy’s strong performance. Photo: Reuters
US President Donald Trump arrives in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, to take part in the 17th annual September 11 observance at the Flight 93 National Memorial. Trump’s response to reports of his instability and lack of fitness for the presidency has been to attack the credibility of the source of the claims and emphasise the US economy’s strong performance. Photo: Reuters
Kevin Rafferty
Opinion

Opinion

Kevin Rafferty

Woodward book and anonymous White House staffer show US crisis goes deeper than an erratic president – America is an empire in decline

Kevin Rafferty says that the recent unflattering portraits of Donald Trump should surprise no one. The question is why the US tolerates a capricious, disloyal deal maker in its highest office

Kevin Rafferty
Kevin Rafferty

Updated: 7:26pm, 12 Sep, 2018

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US President Donald Trump arrives in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, to take part in the 17th annual September 11 observance at the Flight 93 National Memorial. Trump’s response to reports of his instability and lack of fitness for the presidency has been to attack the credibility of the source of the claims and emphasise the US economy’s strong performance. Photo: Reuters US President Donald Trump arrives in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, to take part in the 17th annual September 11 observance at the Flight 93 National Memorial. Trump’s response to reports of his instability and lack of fitness for the presidency has been to attack the credibility of the source of the claims and emphasise the US economy’s strong performance. Photo: Reuters
US President Donald Trump arrives in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, to take part in the 17th annual September 11 observance at the Flight 93 National Memorial. Trump’s response to reports of his instability and lack of fitness for the presidency has been to attack the credibility of the source of the claims and emphasise the US economy’s strong performance. Photo: Reuters
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Kevin Rafferty

Kevin Rafferty

Kevin Rafferty, a journalist for 50 years, started writing about cricket and football for The Observer when at Oxford University. He joined the foreign staff of the Financial Times, was in charge of the FT’s Asian coverage, and opened the paper’s first Hong Kong office. He has lived and worked in Delhi, Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Hong Kong, Tokyo, Osaka, and Washington, and edited daily papers in 30 major cities during IMF and multilateral development bank meetings. He was professor in the Institute for Academic Initiatives at Osaka University.