Donald Trump has shown his true colors once again.
The storm of his supporters on the Capitol caused indignation worldwide.
A political scientist expresses fears.
Munich - The
images from Washington
also
shocked
Professor James Davis
.
We spoke to the US American who lives in Munich and teaches political science at the University of St. Gallen.
+
Will the 45th US President become the leader of a civil war movement?
Donald Trump poses great danger even after leaving the White House.
© TASOS KATOPODIS / afp
After the development of the past years and especially weeks: How surprised are you by the events?
Davis:
I wasn't surprised
that there would be
arguments
.
But of course I was
shocked and speechless
when I saw the pictures.
I could not have imagined
a
storm on our congress *
.
How badly does this blow hit US democracy?
Davis:
Very strong and very deep.
I see that
leaders of the
Republican Party are also
very outraged
.
I didn't expect anything else either.
But the fact that some senators and MPs still wanted to complete this show, this
questioning of the election results *
, shows that we are dealing with a movement that is likely to go on for a long time.
Is there a threat of civil war-like conditions in the US?
Davis:
So far I've been skeptical because I thought it needed a leader who wasn't part of the government.
The question is what
Donald Trump * can
only do when he's
no longer president
in two weeks
.
I can't say if he's taking the side of a movement and inciting attacks.
But it is definitely more conceivable than it was a year ago.
What consequences - also legally - must this day have for Trump?
Davis:
I don't see any major legal dangers for Trump at first.
I would expect Congress to make a
rebuke
, that is the least.
The voices are also getting louder
calling
for a
second impeachment
trial.
But how can you get something like that done in just 13 days?
The question now is what the
vice president is
doing.
According to the news, he is deeply upset.
In the
White House
, the rats leave the sinking ship.
You ask yourself: How can there still be government?
Allegedly there are considerations that the cabinet could remove Trump from office.
Davis:
It can't be ruled out, but we're talking about
lengthy procedures
that are constitutionally regulated.
I wonder how you can do this so quickly.
It depends on
how the president * behaves in the next hours and days
.
If he continues as he did on Wednesday, it could be natural to get a lawsuit started.
Wouldn't that be important for symbolic reasons?
Davis:
That's why I said I was expecting at least a reprimand.
Congress cannot remain calm.
There
has to be
some
answer
.
But whether you can really take these further steps, whether
impeachment
or a
cabinet
resolution, I dare to doubt that.
Is Trump still able to run official business?
Davis:
That's the question we are all asking ourselves.
One can only hope that there will be
no major world crises
that require the president to be able to act.
I can well imagine that his ministers are now trying to keep everything away from him.
What complicity does the Republicans, who long devotedly follow Trump, are to blame?
Davis:
The party has to go to court with itself.
It was clear very early in this administration that you were dealing with a president who
either does not understand
the
laws and norms or who disregards them
.
One should have expected the party to play an
educational role
.
And if that wasn't possible, that she was trying
to limit
the
damage
.
That will be the very interesting question: whether this debacle will lead to a
rethink
.
Maybe the
Republicans *
needed something like this
to experience
catharsis
.
How much do you yearn for Joe Biden to take office and for a return to an orderly situation?
Davis:
I don't envy him.
The
country has not been
so
divided
since the civil war.
One will have
to reach out to Trump supporters
in some way
to
gradually
rebuild normal political culture
.
But that probably cannot be done in one term.
Interview: Marc Beyer
* Merkur.de is part of the nationwide Ippen-Digital editors network
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