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Donald Trump speaks at a campaign rally in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, the United States, Feb. 1, 2016. Former real estate tycoon Donald Trump has been elected the 45th president of the United States after a neck-and-neck race with his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton. [Photo/Xinhua]

A year and a half ago, I was talking to a friend of mine who is a Republican neo-conservative and was in the Never Trump movement – movement opposed to Trump winning the Republican nomination. That now seems like an eternity ago. I was chatting with him, and he said he was worried about his country's future and the possibility that a dictatorial leader might take charge of the world's foremost liberal democratic power. I told him not to worry. Even if you don't support a candidate like Trump, there is a system of checks and balance that will keep him in check. The biggest threat I mentioned to my friend is the domestic polarization in the United States.

This week, the U.S. Justice Department appointed former FBI director Robert Mueller as special counsel to investigate connections between Trump's campaign and the Russian government. This comes after a week that rocked American politics almost as much as Bill Clinton's indiscretions did during the 1990s. While there hasn't been any proven collusion between Trump and Russia, things are slowly starting to look like the early stages of another Watergate.

This is an interesting development. On one hand, if there is any genuine collusion between Russia and Trump, it will eventually come out. The special director isn't just a random officer. He is entitled to demand registered documents as well as subpoena every available piece of evidence he finds suitable to the course of the investigation. While it is unlikely that any direct collusion between Russia and Trump will come to light, this will finally put to test the competing narratives regarding how much Trump owes his win to alleged Russian interference in the U.S. democracy. It will also either make or break Trump's presidency. If Trump is indeed culpable, he will be impeached. There will be no other options.

Unfortunately, there's something else in play as well.

The U.S. system is based on a transfer of power, which is peaceful. The government officials are supposed to be neutral in such a scenario. Unfortunately, this changed during the Obama years. The U.S. departments are manned by people who essentially started their career as ideological Obama appointees looking forward to their next president. That changed with Trump, who no one expected to win. The "resistance" started immediately afterwards, and leaks started to pour in.

The situation is so dire now that there isn't a single day without leaks. Every day, someone blabs to journalists about the severe dysfunction within the government, purporting to be performing idealistic acts of sabotage against the tyranny in D.C.

Now consider this. Even accepting that maybe, and I say maybe in the most skeptical possible way, Trump is compromised by Russia, imagine the precedent this is setting up.

The next administration will have ideological opponents in the government who will leak to newspapers. In short, every single action by the government, of whatever political party, can be undermined by any anonymous officer in an idealistic resistance to tyranny. This is utter chaos, and can only lead to perma-activism.

Trump will go. Either by impeachment or after a chaotic four years. Those who were fearful of Trump turning out to be a fascist should take solace in the fact that he can't even fill his cabinet. A fascist at least takes control of the government quickly. The chances of a fascist takeover in U.S. are minimal.

However, two things will result from this. First, the issues that gave rise to Trumpism will remain. Interventionism and liberal economy will continue to alienate the heartland conservative white population, the backbone of Trump's support. And the leaks will set a precedent for a more damaging legacy in which the very foundation of the American system faces threats. There's a reason officials are supposed to be neutral. In an era of hyperpartisanism, that is perhaps over.

Sumantra Maitra is a columnist with China.org.cn. For more information please visit:

http://www.china.org.cn/opinion/SumantraMaitra.htm

Opinion articles reflect the views of their authors only, not necessarily those of China.org.cn.

 

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