Leave It To Leavitt
It was always going to be the case that a Trump administration would provide entertainment, if nothing else. However, Trump 2.0 has rather exceeded expectations, if only because, knowing that this presidency has to be his last, we now have an unfiltered version of both the politics and the man himself. But perhaps an aspect that many were not expecting was the shock provided not only by policy but also by those working for the 47th president.
For instance, anyone with an interest in the news cycle, media, or simply team-building has noticed the massive impact made by the new White House Press Secretary, Karoline Leavitt. It is difficult to tell what the most outstanding part of this appointment is: her age, her proficiency, or simply her star quality. But whatever it is, she has certainly made a splash. This is especially true when combined with the speed and ruthlessness with which Trump and his acolytes, such as Elon Musk, are getting down to business. That said, just in case anyone thought that President Trump had lost the ability to speak for himself, he weighed in quite spectacularly on the case of Prince Harry’s potential deportation from the USA, suggesting that our ginger-haired, and allegedly hen-pecked, royal would not be thrown out of the country “as he has enough problems already.” This is up there with the best of his put-downs we have been treated to over the years.
USAID
The easy, soft target in recent days has been USAID. Amid a litany of allegedly ridiculous waste of US tax dollars, the one that really took the biscuit had to be the funding of an Iraqi version of Sesame Street—the cost: $20 million. All that was needed to avoid the bulk of this cost was subtitles, as one presumes that an Iraqi Big Bird does not need to be that different from the classic variety. That said, the collection of DEI, ESG, and LGBT-friendly initiatives, mostly in non-democratic countries, does rather smack of euphemisms for lining the pockets of either local terrorist organizations, gangsters, or, of course, politicians. For instance, one can imagine that not many of the $50 million worth of condoms destined for the population in Gaza actually made it anywhere near deployment. Of course, this country delivers similar handouts, and presumably feels that this is part of our soft power / civilising influence around the world.
Gaza Riviera, Trans Women, Plastic Straws
Of course, even after just a few weeks in power, we would not expect anything else from Mr. Trump other than to set the cat amongst the pigeons. His Gaza Riviera initiative—to treat the situation in the Middle East as if it were a construction project—was very much not of the Guardian friendly. It also revealed how, given how entrenched enmity is in the area, any attempt to end it does not go down well, especially if there was a risk of it working.
Going down the Richter scale of controversy just a tad, the President moved to end trans women’s participation in women’s sports, along with allowing the return of plastic straws. If nothing else, it showed us on this side of the Atlantic that, even in the simplest of issues—like straws—we have no mechanism for a quick fix. We are not so much swimming in treacle as trapped in amber.
The Chagos Islands
The contrast between a far-right US administration and a left-wing UK regime was underlined by the ongoing controversy regarding the return of the Chagos Islands. Reports suggested that giving them back would not be just a matter of handing over the keys; there would be a 99-year lease costing the UK taxpayer an inflation-linked £90 million a year. Clearly, this is in line with the Labour government’s policy to punishment-beat everything that represents the previous greatness of this country and will ensure that this could never happen again. One would imagine that Chagos is merely a dress rehearsal for what could happen in Gibraltar, the Falkland Islands, and any other obscure territories that are the last remnants of the largest empire to ever exist. This is over and above the policy of (successive governments) so that there is no chance of it ever being great in any way again. Perhaps a forthcoming Farage-Johnson alliance might be the answer, which is the least that is appropriate from Reform given that it divided the Conservative vote to hand Starmer the election.
Grenfell Tower
Closer to home, the Prime Minister’s enforcer, Angela Rayner, continued the government’s (only successful) policy of “never giving the people what they want” by announcing the demolition of Grenfell Tower against the wishes of the victims’ relatives. It is almost as if, had the relatives wanted it demolished, she would have kept the ruined building standing for decades. That said, it is understandable that the UK government would want to knock down one of the worst reminders of the side effects of allowing too many people to chase too little housing, in buildings that should’ve been knocked down decades ago—or never built in the first place.
Lucy Letby
Although lawyers and the legal system are massive winners of the red tape and regulation of our times, it would appear that there could be a reckoning in terms of the horror of the Lucy Letby trial. Presumably, at the time of the trial, there was a horde of experts pronouncing the nurse’s guilt; all of a sudden, they appear to have changed their tune. This means that we have a headache in the making: if Letby is innocent, then it is a total failure of the sacred NHS, proving once again how it is not fit for purpose. Just as bad would be if we have been treated to one of the worst modern miscarriages of justice—something which may indicate that, in the 21st century, the criminal justice system may need a revamp.
Aga Khan
Finally, this week saw the death of the Aga Khan. The man was a legendary playboy/jet-set figure, as well as a religious leader. Perhaps his greatest skill was combining these roles so successfully? For people my age and above, the first time I was familiar with the late Imam was in the number one hit song from the late ’60s, Where Do You Go To (My Lovely). Here, the songwriter Peter Sarstedt managed to rhyme Aga Khan with fun. Difficult, but perhaps appropriate.
