People in the many countries that suffered pain, loss and cruel indignities at the hands of Donald Trump over the past two chaotic, fearful years celebrated a moment of glorious, shared redemption.
asserted
that → suffer → redemption
The monster, like others of his kind, still lurks in his gilded White House lair; far-right authoritarianism still casts a dark shadow over many nations.
asserted
authoritarianism → lurk → nations
But the power of this most destructive of presidents is shattered, his malignant spell broken.
asserted
spell → shatter → presidents
The triumphant roar of US midterm voters was a rallying cry of democratic defiance that, echoing the American revolution of 250 years ago, reverberated around the globe.
asserted
that → rally → globe
For Iranians, Trump’s electoral humiliation raised hopes, perhaps misplaced, that his murderous war of choice against Tehran’s oppressive regime may soon cease.
uncertain
war → raise → regime
In Israel, many among the majority who voted for change last week will welcome the humbling of the foremost supporter of Benjamin Netanyahu’s as-yet-unvanquished extremist coalition.
asserted
who → vote → coalition
Ukrainians voiced optimism that a Democratic-controlled Congress will curb the sickening appeasement of Vladimir Putin’s Russia.
asserted
Congress → voice → Russia
In Europe, the beginning of the end of the Trump era brought a sense of relief – and hope that toxic transatlantic relations can be drained of Maga poison.
asserted
relations → bring → poison
It’s clear Trump is now weaker internationally as well as domestically.
asserted
Trump → ’ → ?
Despite his fanciful denials and contemptible attempts to shift blame, the sweeping Democratic successes represented an unmistakably personal repudiation.
asserted
successes → shift → repudiation
For foreign friends and allies, as for many Americans, the miasma of menace, the aura of invincibility surrounding Trump since 2024, has been blown away at last.
asserted
miasma → surround → 2024
In a self-flagellating act of egotism that ignored his rock-bottom approval ratings, he asked voters to pretend he was on the ballot.
asserted
he → flagellate → ballot
They obliged in huge numbers – and, acting as proxies for democrats the world over, offered him a tumescent middle finger.
asserted
They → oblige → finger
Trump’s diminished lame duck status, and frustration that he is no longer the centre of attention, could aggravate old tensions and spark new explosions.
uncertain
he → aggravate → explosions
For all his talk of deal-making, he rarely compromises.
asserted
he → compromise → making
If thwarted, he gets angry, doubles down, lashes out.
asserted
he → thwart → ?
That’s why Iranian celebrations may prove premature.
uncertain
celebrations → ’ → ?
Egged on by Netanyahu (as long as he’s in power), commander-in-chief Trump could yet defy chastened Republicans such as the vice-president, JD Vance, and resume and expand the war – not least to avenge the Tehran-engineered Middle East oil shock that so alienated voters.
uncertain
that → egg → voters
Settling the decades-long Iran nuclear standoff is a key legacy issue for Trump, increasingly obsessed with his place in history.
asserted
Settling → settle → history
He has gone to embarrassing lengths to reward war criminal Putin and punish Ukraine for being invaded.
asserted
He → go → Ukraine
Trump regards the conflict as an obstacle to normalised ties with Moscow and lucrative bilateral energy, investment and trade deals.
asserted
Trump → regard → Moscow
He clings to a vague idea of performing a “reverse Nixon” – befriending Russia to strategically disadvantage China.
asserted
He → cling → China
He’d like a Nobel peace prize, too.
asserted
He → like → prize
But ending the war for the sake of Ukraine’s besieged people is not Trump’s motivation.
asserted
ending → end → people
He cares little for the thousands of civilians killed, maimed or traumatised by Russian bombs.
asserted
He → care → bombs
Paradoxically, Trump’s weakness could hasten a ceasefire.
uncertain
weakness → hasten → ceasefire
Putin, beset by battlefield failures and deepening economic problems, knows his best chance of a face-saving outcome is to cut a deal while Trump remains in office.
asserted
Trump → beset → office
Herein lies grave danger for Ukraine and its allies.
asserted
danger → lie → Ukraine
Trump’s amateurish negotiators may redouble their push for territorial and other concessions from Kyiv, disregarding its sovereign rights and Europe’s wider security.
uncertain
negotiators → redouble → rights
To force Kyiv’s capitulation on his terms, Trump may double down on his withholding of weapons and intelligence support and refusal to offer credible security guarantees - and to hell with the consequences and the precedent.
uncertain
Trump → force → consequences
Trump retains huge latitude in directing US defence and foreign policy independently of Congress.
asserted
Trump → retain → policy
But after Democrats take charge of both chambers in January, he and senior officials are certain to face intense scrutiny over executive actions, budgets, and alleged corruption and abuses of power.
asserted
he → take → power
One early political casualty could be his pet weasel, the defence secretary, Pete Hegseth (although he’ll probably escape public execution).
uncertain
he → escape → execution
If Trump is impeached again, as some Democrats demand, he will have less time to worry about his international legacy.
asserted
he → impeach → legacy
Most US policies will not shift significantly between now and 2028.
asserted
policies → shift → 2028
Any new Israeli government is likely to continue to deny basic Palestinian rights in Gaza and the West Bank, more or less supported by Washington.
asserted
government → continue → Washington
Trump could make nice with Europe and Canada by de-escalating tariff wars.
uncertain
Trump → make → wars
Or he could enact previous threats to abandon Nato and the common defence of Europe – for him, another twisted “legacy” issue.
uncertain
he → enact → him
There’s a risk he could foist Venezuela-style regime change on Cuba.
uncertain
he → ’ → Cuba
Meanwhile, an altogether smarter autocrat, China’s Xi Jinping, will continue to run rings around him.
asserted
autocrat → continue → him
…and 12 more, not listed.
The Aporia
