The Fate of the World

November 11, 2024

Donald Trump swept to power in America on November 5 but will not be President until weeks later, on January 20. This “lame duck” transition period was baked into the U.S. Constitution two centuries ago to keep the government going because it took weeks for state officials to count and certify votes and then deliver the results to Washington by horseback. That’s no longer the case, but the antiquated process continues, and this presidential ritual places world events in limbo. President Joe Biden will meet Trump in the White House on November 13, a courtesy that Trump did not extend to Biden in 2020, and the two must collaborate despite disagreements. Trump’s first chosen task is to stop the fighting in Ukraine, which he bragged could be done in hours. However, Biden expedited a shipment of billions of dollars in delayed military aid to Ukraine. At the same time, some members of Trump’s team mused about freezing the conflict, thus completely capitulating to Putin. During this hiatus, both countries launched major aerial attacks. Ukrainians dig in, and Russia continues to brutalize innocent people. Now’s the time to send Putin packing, not to make a deal.