If you think about it, Trump is kind of the ultimate underdog. No one really thought he would win. But here he is. It's like watching a movie. So far, my favorite part is when confirmation of Russia's interference with the election broke. As a country that has dedicated itself to making the world safe for democracy, the irony of the election—a core component of a democratic government—being meddled with makes me facepalm. Better yet, the fact that Trump—a man of very good words, he does have the best words—did nothing more than shrug it off shows that it really isn't about democracy. It's about winning.
I understand why Trump would want to downplay Russia's interference. At the very worst, he could be accused of treason. At the very least, his hard-fought battle into the White House could be viewed as illegitimate. Whether or not Trump and his aides knew about the goings-on across the pond, his devil-may-care attitude confirms that the matter isn't all that important to him; he's president and that's what matters.Ultimately, the ends justify the means, and in a world where the balance of power is slowly shifting to other countries, I fear that Trump and other politicians will do whatever it takes to make sure the U.S. is #1. What worries me about this great mess is the potential for our president to become a pawn. I know it's bad to ask, "What if?" But at this point, it's hard not to. There are tens of dozens of what ifs that worry me and make me feel sick to my stomach about the future.
For the first time in my life, people talk about nuclear bombs not as an abstract thing, but a real possibility. While talk is often just talk, Trump talked his way through the election and now here we are. The media and the rest of the world can't go a minute without the Donald popping up in conversation. I know I look at all of this in a way that is too black-and-white. I know I'm a dirty hippie for consistently whining, "Can't we all just get along?" I never liked reading about world politics too much because it seemed like the U.S. always had to be a busybody and meddle in other countries. Now, we're getting a tiny taste of what happens when another world power does the same to us. The future, like our president, is more uncertain than ever. It's like the world has taken a collective inhale, and this moment—here, now—is the moment of holding it in right before the exhale.
Trump might be the most infamous underdog, but that doesn't mean he's a winner. His election, already hotly contested by his opponents, will now be seen even less legitimately because of his ties with Russia. He hasn't even taken the oath of office and the threat of blackmail is already looming. Shakespeare put it best when he said, "these violent delights have violent ends." It would do Trump a lot of good to remember that as he continues to play with fire.
