Trump acquittal ends one era, but what comes next?

Ramin Mazaheri
Press TV, Chicago

Ex-president Donald Trump has been acquitted in his second impeachment trial, finally closing the curtain on the nation’s bitterly disputed election last November.

Trump was accused of “incitement to insurrection” after a violent protest stormed Capitol Hill, as Congress was certifying the Electoral College’s selection of Joe Biden. Polls still show that around 40% of voters think that Biden’s victory was illegitimate.

Public opinion was almost evenly split regarding Trump’s responsibility in the Capitol Hill protests and along party lines. The Senate vote’s outcome was never in doubt, as a two-thirds supermajority was needed for conviction. The trial was surprisingly rushed to completion.

Democrats now have to contend with an exonerated Trump who can run for the presidency in 2024. Conservatives may be permanently divided into two factions, and polls show that a third party started by Trump would be even more popular than the Republican Party.

The final fate of the controversial Trump seemed to overshadow what sparked the violent protest in the first place, yet the question remains: How can massive and violent disputes over electoral integrity be prevented?

Other questions remain which are even more difficult to answer: Can a Trump-obsessed nation actually move on? What is the next political move of Trump, the most popular Republican? Will Washington now focus on fixing the socioeconomic catastrophes caused by the coronavirus and the lockdowns? How can this deeply-divided nation heal, and when, and maybe - do they even want to?

Given Trump’s acquittal, many wonder if the impeachment trial ultimately did more harm than good. The Trump presidential era may be definitely over - finally - but the transition to get there was anything but peaceful.

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