Editorial | Acquittal of Donald Trump to hit US soft power hard
- With Washington claiming it has a superior system that others should strive for, a poor message has been sent and governments may be more reluctant to follow its lead
Domestically, that may well be so as the cases were brought by the rival Democrats and, as November elections are looming, every perceived win is being capitalised upon.
With a deeply divided political landscape, decision-makers in the Senate comprising a Republican majority and a two-thirds vote necessary, the outcome was always assured. But there can be less confidence about United States foreign policy, with China and other governments now having good reason to be more cautious.
Trump was only the third president to face impeachment in the country’s 244-year history. He will be the first to face voters; the previous two, Bill Clinton and Andrew Johnson, did not stand for re-election.
If opinion polls are any guide, he has a good chance of winning a second four-year term, a survey by Gallup this week raising his approval rating to 49 per cent. Given the nature of the case, that could be problematic for the nation’s overseas relations.
The president was accused of abusing his power for allegedly withholding US$391 million in military aid from Ukraine unless it provided him with information about the business dealings of the son of a potential presidential rival, former Democratic vice-president Joe Biden.