Chaos, Censure, Controversies: A Look Back at Trump’s Presidency
From ‘Stormy’ affair, impeachment to COVID debacle: A look back at the controversies that marred Trump’s first term.
advertisement
Video Editor: Vivek Gupta
Donald Trump is probably the most controversial President the United States has ever had.
Chaos and controversies have defined his innings at the White House. We look back at what marred his first term as the President of the United States, before he lost to Democrat Joe Biden in the 2020 US elections.
1. The COVID-19 Debacle
Donald Trump's poor handling of the coronavirus left more than 233 thousand dead and pushed the US to top the list of countries worst affected by the novel virus.
2. Black Lives Matter
George Floyd's death sparked nationwide outrage. Donald Trump threatened to deploy military to stop the violent protests and even described the demonstrators as a 'bunch of thugs'.
3. Ban on Muslims
Trump imposed an immigration ban on visitors from 5 Muslim majority countries - Iran, Libya, Somalia, Syria and Yemen - and North Korea and Venezuela.
4. The Family Separation Policy
Trump's 'zero-tolerance' immigration policy led to the separation of thousands of families at the US border with Mexico.
Even after the order was revoked after 2 months, following public outrage, hundreds of children still wait to reunite with their families.
He even called Mexicans 'drug dealers and rapists'.
5. 'Build The Wall'
Trump promised to build a 722-mile-long wall along the US-Mexico border to stop illegal immigrants and drug peddlers. He even promised that 'the big beautiful wall' would be paid for by Mexico.
6. 2015 Paris Accord
Trump pulled out of the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement calling it an agreement that 'disadvantages the United States'.
7. The 'Stormy' Affair
Adult film star Stormy Daniels opened up about her sexual encounter with Trump in 2006, when he was married to Melania Trump.
She also claimed she was paid $130,000 in hush money and even got a threat from an unidentified man.
At least 26 women have accused Donald Trump of sexual misconduct between the 1970s and 2016.
8. Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017
As POTUS, Donald Trump introduced a controversial tax reform that reduced tax rates for businesses and individuals. Economists said richest 400 families in the US paid an average of 23 percent tax while the bottom half of households coughed up 24.2 percent in taxes.
(*Source: The Guardian)
9. Trade War with China
In 2019, Trump imposed tariffs on more than $360 billion worth of Chinese goods in retaliation. China ratcheted up tariffs on US goods and an escalating trade war left the global economy reeling.
10. Impeachment Row
After a probe into a September 2019 report that Trump pressured the Ukraine President to investigate Joe Biden, he was impeached on 18 December 2019 and later acquitted after a Senate trial.
(At The Quint, we question everything. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member today.)