The 6 January events in and around the Capitol were a shocking demonstration of how far erratic and irresponsible people, including the outgoing President Donald Trump, are willing to go in their crusade against democracy—or as they would prefer, the “deep state”. Trump promised to Make America Great Again. Instead, to the end, he has administered serious blows to the reputation, credibility and authority of the United States.
Trump will finally quit the White House in less than two weeks, but he will leave behind a huge mess. And unfortunately, Trumpism will not be disappearing, or even weakening, any time soon.
We continue to trust America not because there is no alternative, but because we believe in its strength and ability to overcome difficult and turbulent times. Under Joe Biden’s new administration America will surely recover from the damage Trump has done, starting with the rebuilding and strengthening of alliances.
As a first step, NATO should issue a statement—a demonstration of European and North American unity to warn adversaries not to take advantage of or miscalculate the situation.