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Donald Trump and Barack Obama (r.) In the White House in November 2016
Photo: REUTERS
The new US President Joe Biden is currently trying to reverse the worst wrong decisions made by his predecessor as quickly as possible.
Wherever it is possible by decree, the Democrat turns back what Donald Trump has done.
There is still a lot of work to be done.
As for the long-term damage after four years of Trump, Biden's former boss Barack Obama is at least cautiously optimistic.
According to his own statements, he doesn't think much of Trump's political legacy.
The importance of his successor is overestimated, said the 59-year-old in an interview published on Sunday by ZDF.
For example, Trump was not able to destroy the better access to health insurance introduced by the Democrats, as announced.
And also in terms of climate protection policy, the new government under Biden could quickly pick up on the previous course and rejoin the Paris climate agreement.
Regarding the strength of the conservative camp led by Trump and his effectiveness, Obama said that Trump was ultimately not re-elected - in contrast to himself in 2012. Obama was in the presidency from 2009 to 2017, with Biden as vice.
Trump's election victory in 2016 was due on the one hand to centuries-old social conflicts in the USA, but also to the financial crisis of 2008/09, said Obama.
The economic turmoil at the time had created instability and worry.
Many people feared that there might be setbacks for them personally.
In this situation it is very often the case that politics relies on strong men, on power.
In addition, right-wing social media were added, in combination with television channels such as Fox News.
These fed people with information "completely detached from reality," he criticized.
The 44th President of the United States continued: If you feed people lies, biases, conspiracy theories, and if politicians try to exploit it for the sake of gain, then over time social trust can break down and it can lead to tragedy.
Like the ones we saw here in the Capitol. "
On January 6, a mob of hundreds of Trump supporters stormed the Capitol in the US capital in an unprecedented escalation of violence after Trump incited them at a mass rally.
There were several fatalities.
How many Republicans are openly against Trump?
As a result of this escalation, Trump will soon have to face impeachment proceedings in the US Senate - for the second time.
The trial is scheduled to begin on February 9th.
However, Trump had to look for new lawyers at short notice.
Five defense lawyers ended cooperation with Trump, as the broadcaster CNN and other US media reported on Saturday.
Among them are the two lawyers Butch Bowers and Deborah Barbier, who should have headed Trump's defense in the Senate.
Representatives of the House of Representatives had formally filed the indictment against Trump in the Senate last Monday for "inciting riot".
If found guilty, the chamber could forbid Trump to run for president again.
In addition to the 50 Democratic Senators, at least 17 Republicans would have to vote for a conviction.
It is currently unlikely that a two-thirds majority will be achieved.
The first impeachment proceedings against Trump for his efforts to get campaign support from Ukraine failed in February 2020.
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jok / dpa