Massive rise in support for Trump cannot be ignored, Maajid Nawaz says
8 November 2020, 15:55
Maajid Nawaz: Trumpism could continue past this election
Listing out the policy achievements of President Trump, Maajid Nawaz pointed at the closeness of this election to show that Trumpism is here to stay.
Maajid Nawaz listed Donald Trump's attempts to sort out financial issues in NATO, the normalisation of relations between Israel and Middle Eastern states and the assassination of Qassem Soleimani as major wins for the incumbent.
He added that the rise in support from minorities for Trump is further suggestion that the Trump presidency wasn't as bad as often shared.
"Nobody is a deplorable for voting for the candidate they prefer in a democracy," Maajid said, arguing that "even if Trump has lost I think what he stood for is here to stay."
"We mustn't take away the fact that President Trump's vote went up with black voters, it went up with latino voters, and it went up overall."
He argued that the dismissal of the political ideology of the other side isn't acceptable anymore: "You can't get away with that politically anymore."
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However, Maajid noted "the rhetoric scares us, we've seen extremism rise and in some cases Trump hasn't been as clear as he needs to be in condemning that."
"There is a lack of a presidential manner about him."
He mentioned that Donald Trump did "stand up for Britain post-Brexit" and that mustn't be forgotten.
"Let's evaluate the policies and not the personality," Maajid pleaded, telling listeners that "that's what stays with people - the personalities come and go but the policies, unless they're reversed, stay with us and have huge consequences."
