Opinion | China shouldn’t celebrate if Donald Trump loses his border wall battle – his successor may be even harder on Beijing
- If Trump loses a prolonged fight over his border wall, expect him to be succeeded by another China hawk who lacks the current president’s affinity for Xi Jinping and who can mend ties with disaffected US allies
Citing former US Supreme Court chief justice Robert Jackson, the newspaper’s editorial board pointed out that “a president’s power is ‘at its lowest ebb’ when ‘the President takes measures incompatible with the expressed or implied will of Congress’,” and called Trump’s history as president “blinkered”.
While Washington infighting usually strengthens Beijing’s portrayal of American democracy as a mess, this particular battle may end up not working in China’s favour.
The most deplorable elements of Trump’s base – those who laud his characterisation of Latin American immigrants as criminals and rapists – see a border wall as the most sensible way to make America safe. Never mind that violent crime in the US has very little to do with immigrants.
With an approval rating that has held firm in spite of predictions that Americans would tire of his targeted acts of cruelty and casual, knee-jerk nastiness, Trump sees no need to stop short of breaking precedent. While past presidents have invoked emergency powers, none has done so to circumvent the will of Congress. That may have put Trump’s move beyond the pale.