Trump’s victory puts Putin into spotlight!

   By Vijay Darda | 11-11-2024

The question is why no woman could become the US President in the last 235 years?

With Donald Trump’s victory in the US presidential election, everyone is calculating the impact of his return to power on the world. America is a country that influences the entire world in some way, so such analysis is natural. During Trump’s first term, his relations with India were good. However, one question puzzles me: Why is Russia accused time and again of influencing the US elections?

Reports state that on November 5, while voting was underway, several US states, including Michigan, Arizona, Georgia and Wisconsin, received emails threatening to bomb polling centres. Since these emails were sent from Russia, the accusations are understandable, though it remains unclear how, if at all, such threats affected voters. Two months prior, Microsoft had also claimed that some Russians were spreading false rumours against Kamala Harris via fake videos, accusing her of causing an accident in 2011 that left a young girl paralysed — an incident that never occurred. On September 4 this year, the US attorney general Merrick Garland accused Russian state media outlet RT of bribing an American firm to spread Russia’s agenda, though Russia denied the allegation.

This isn’t the first time Russia has been accused of meddling in the US elections. In 2016, accusations surfaced that Russia ran a covert operation called ‘Lakhta’ to weaken Hillary Clinton and bolster Trump, allegedly under direct orders from President Vladimir Putin. The US conducted a full investigation, leading to a 450-page report in 2019 of more than 200 interactions between Trump’s team and Russian officials. However, no evidence of collusion or Russian conspiracy involving Trump’s associates was found.

Now, let us discuss how Trump’s victory might benefit Russia. President Joe Biden imposed strict sanctions on Russia over the Ukraine invasion and provided approximately $60 billion in aid to Ukraine. Trump, however, repeatedly stated that he holds Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy responsible for the Russian invasion. During his campaign, Trump explicitly said he would halt economic and military support to Ukraine if elected President, even calling Zelenskyy the world’s biggest “salesman”. Russia would undoubtedly benefit from Trump’s stance. It is a common belief in world politics that Putin and Trump have mutual respect for each other, but the question that remains unanswered is did this former spy really play a role in influencing the American election?

As for India, relations with the US will likely remain stable despite Trump’s “America First” policy. India needs the US, but the US needs India even more. In his first term, Trump took every possible step to contain China as the Dragon poses the biggest challenge to America’s global dominance. It is no secret that China intends to claim America’s position as a global superpower. India could be a significant partner in containing China. The friendship and understanding between our Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Trump could make a real difference. Additionally, Trump would likely seek India’s support on the Russian front, given India’s long-standing relationship with Russia. Putin has signalled support by congratulating Trump on his victory and stating that India deserves a role as a global superpower. Though Putin may not directly heed Trump’s words, he might listen through Modi, potentially reducing tensions between Russia and the US — a situation that would be ideal for cornering China. Domestically, Trump has also shown support for India, taking a cooperative stance on India’s internal matters, refraining from harsh political criticism and openly condemning attacks on Hindus in Bangladesh. However, he has voiced concerns about high taxes on American products in India. He also remembers the significance of the “Howdy Modi” event. Let’s hope that under Trump’s leadership, America treads a new path of development and embraces “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam”, much like India.

Congratulations also to Indian-Americans Ami Bera, Pramila Jayapal, Raja Krishnamoorthi, Ro Khanna and Shri Thanedar on being re-elected to the US House of Representatives. And a special congratulations to Suhas Subramanyam, who made history by winning from Virginia and the entire East Coast, becoming the first Indian-American to do so.

But the million dollar question is, in the 235 years since the first presidential election in 1788-89, why could no woman become the President of the United States? From Victoria Woodhull to Margaret Smith, Hillary Clinton and Kamala Harris, several women have run for presidency without success. The reasons for this can only be explained by American voters!

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