Donald Trump‘s potential second term has raised serious concerns about human rights, both in the U.S. and globally. His first term was marked by controversial policies, including the separation of families at the U.S.-Mexico border, the promotion of racist rhetoric, and his role in the January 6th Capitol attack. His 2024 campaign has included promises that would further harm human rights, such as targeting immigrants with mass deportations and weakening abortion rights.
Donald Trump’s praise of authoritarian leaders and his increasingly aggressive rhetoric suggest that his administration could erode democratic principles and human rights protections. Human Rights Watch says Donald Trump winning the US Presidential Election is “devastating” for human rights. Donald Trump won the US presidential election by securing 270 Electoral College votes.
Donald Trump’s victory
The President-elect has particularly close relations with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Both nations have been severely criticised for violating human rights in their respective regional conflicts.
Human Rights Watch Director in Washington Sarah Yager says, “Half of the country is elated and half of the country is devastated. It doesn’t really matter to me how a person voted, if you care about human rights, then this is a very hard time in US history. We had 4 years of Trump and he undermined human rights.
So, we know how he wants the US to be seen by the world and it has nothing to do with human rights and in fact, has undermined human rights in many ways. Meanwhile, a decline in US influence in Africa means Trump’s administration will have to grapple with blind spots in its understanding of a fast-changing continent increasingly allied with China and Russia and threatened by spreading jihadist insurgencies.
Interviews with eight current and former officials along with a review of US government watchdog reports show that a dearth of staff and resources under President Joe Biden at embassies in Africa undermined efforts to implement Washington’s goals.
The US racked up diplomatic setbacks over the past four years, including losing America’s major spy base in Niger and failing to negotiate a deal with any ally to reposition those assets. It is now caught without a foothold among the Sahel region’s Russia-backed military juntas just as the region becomes the world’s terrorism hotpot.
In soft power terms, a Gallup poll published this year showed that China surpassed the US in popularity in Africa.
Cameron Hudson, a former CIA analyst who worked on Africa in a number of roles for both Democrat and Republican administrations, said the lack of resources had led to missteps.
These include being caught by surprise when war erupted in Sudan in April last year, he said, and bungling talks with Niger’s junta over its airbase.
“We have huge blind spots in our understanding of political dynamics, military dynamics in the countries where we are active,” Hudson, now at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, told Reuters.
“This is a mega issue that US diplomacy faces, and it’s particularly acute in Africa.”
In response to Reuters questions, the US State Department said applicants for posts in Africa were dissuaded by insufficient schools, health care, and the remote nature of many postings, adding that monetary and non-monetary incentives were in place to encourage service in what it called difficult posts.
Other signs point to America’s decline in a region long considered to be a low priority for US foreign policymakers.
Washington has made little progress towards advancing access to vast reserves of African minerals that it says are critical for national security. A flagship U.S.-backed railway project to export resources through Angola to the West is still years from completion.
Biden made sweeping political promises to Africa that he has yet to keep, including visiting during his presidency, which ends in January. He vowed to support the addition of two permanent seats for Africa at the UN Security Council and for the African Union to join the G20, but neither has happened.
Two former senior officials that served in Trump’s 2017-2021 administration said they expected him to pursue a more pragmatic approach than Biden, seeking tangible returns for US spending in the region.
Competition with China will be a major focus, they both said, along with fresh support for US businesses. The US may also revisit its politics towards military leaders in the troubled Sahel, with less focus on democracy and human rights, they said.
“Africa policy needs a bit of realism,” said Tibor Nagy, a retired career ambassador and former Trump envoy to Africa. “I’m hoping that with a second Trump administration, where policy is more transactional, you can actually end up with more successes.”
The Trump campaign did not respond to emails requesting information about its plans for Africa. Brian Hook, a former Trump official overseeing the diplomatic transition at the State Department, did not respond to a request for comment.
Source: eNCA
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