EDITORIAL: Trump inauguration a turning point in world history

We stand at a remarkable moment in history.

Few would have predicted Donald Trump’s career could recover from the fallout of January 6, 2021, when a mob stormed the US Capitol, in protest at the change of government.

It’s complicated, but much has happened since, including two assassination attempts, and a series of politically charged legal wrangles.

Now, triumphantly, Mr Trump and his supporters return to the Capitol and the city he left four years ago as a pariah. Americans overwhelmingly voted for his return to office.

Americans want Trump 2.0 in the White House.

It is a truly remarkable achievement.

While there is naturally some apprehension about what this term will bring, many others feel a sense of extreme optimism.

What lies ahead is anyone’s guess. World events are impossible to predict at the best of times. Add in a mercurial character like Mr Trump and any attempts at crystal ball-gazing are doomed to fail.

Since the end of World War II, the Western world has relied on US dominance for stability. But for much of the past few years, a leadership vacuum has opened up as US influence declined.

That vacuum is partly responsible for the emboldening of autocrats and tyrants around the globe.

Without a world policeman on the beat, the bad guys ran riot. The world needed something to change.

What we’ve got is Donald Trump back in the White House for a second go.

As we stand at this moment in history, much remains unclear, including the impact on Australia.

Australia and the US have a long and enduring friendship.

Our own leaders assure Australia that it will weather whatever challenges arise in the next four years.

One of the key concerns is what impact a potential global trade war would have on Australia.

We may be able to secure a direct exemption from tariffs, as we did in 2018.

But if Mr Trump follows through with his threat to whack Chinese imports with significant tariffs, that will flow through to our own economy, given our continued reliance on both China and the US. Undoubtedly, we’re in for a rocky ride.

Mr Trump’s rhetoric is a thing of wonder. Taken literally, some of Mr Trump’s pronouncements are head-scratchers, to put it kindly.

But when you strip out the hyperbole, the bravado and bluster, what you’re left with is a politician who is making a return to the first order issues of security, economy and family.

This has resonated strongly with Americans, who know institutions, business and politicians have become sidetracked by frivolities while their nation is on fire — literally and figuratively.

Australians are growing equally frustrated by the penchant of the political and business elite to default to distraction.

It’s a losing game. And therein lies the Australian lesson of Donald Trump 2.0.