Politics and Society
Donald Trump’s tough love for Africa
Confounding expectations, Republican presidential candidate Donald J. Trump has emerged the winner of the 2016 US presidential election. Barring a truly unprecedented event, the former reality TV star will be the 45th president of the United States. In as much as his past statements on Africa offer a unique window into his views on how America should engage with the continent, Africans would be wise not to expect much from a Trump presidency.
Donald Trump loves Twitter and Twitter loves him right back. With slightly over eight million followers, The Donald has mastered the 140-character form. The real estate billionaire has been credited with using the micro-blogging site to circumvent traditional media and speak directly to his base. Much like his style on the campaign trail, The Apprentice star’s tweets are a mishmash of stream-of-consciousness delivery.
No kid gloves for Africa
We know Trump’s views on different subjects because – often as not – he shares them on Twitter for the world to see. On Africa, a look at his past tweets provides an interesting and instructive insight into Trump’s thinking about the continent. Thinking that can perhaps be summed up in four words:“tough love from a distance”.
Foreshadowing his recent “America First”-themed foreign policy speech, the presumptive Republican Party nominee has in the past been critical of the Obama administration’s policy on aid to Africa, characterising it as “waste” because of corruption on the continent.
We should be concerned about the American worker & invest here. Not grant amnesty to illegals or waste $7B in Africa.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 1, 2013
Every penny of the $7 billion going to Africa as per Obama will be stolen – corruption is rampant!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 1, 2013
Trump’s tough talk on aid to Africa also extends medical assistance. In 2014, as Ebola devastated Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia, Trump’s tweets appear to show that he would have much preferred it if the US had kept its distance and minded its own business as the disease tore through West Africa like a medieval plague.
Why are we sending thousands of ill-trained soldiers into Ebola infested areas of Africa! Bring the plague back to U.S.? Obama is so stupid.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 20, 2014
How dumb is our president to send thousands of poorly trained and ill-equipped soldiers over to West Africa to fight Ebola. Stop all flights
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 1, 2014
Mr Tough Love: Donald Trump disagreed with the Obama administration’s efforts to help West African countries devastated by the Ebola outbreak. Photo Michael Vadon via https://www.flickr.com/photos/80038275@N00
Some of Trumps references to African countries in his tweets also consist of drive-by takedowns. His tweets show he was particularly unimpressed by the late Nelson Mandela’s legacy in South Africa to the point of objecting to President Barak Obama’s likening the much-beloved leader to George Washington.
I really like Nelson Mandela but South Africa is a crime ridden mess that is just waiting to explode-not a good situation for the people!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 13, 2013
Yesterday Obama compared Nelson Mandela to George Washington in Africa. Do you think he really believes it?
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 1, 2013
As I have long been saying, South Africa is a total – and very dangerous – mess. Just watch the evening news (when not talking weather).
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 20, 2015
‘My sons love to hunt’ – Donald Trump
Trump also leapt to the defence of his two sons, Donald Jr and Eric Trump, when photos emerged of them posing with their trophies after a hunting expedition in Africa. In a subsequent tweet, Trump appeared to endorse the hunting of elephants in Africa even as countries like Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and Gabon try to stop the slaughter.
"@therealTMac11: @florianooke @Toxmaster @NRA The Elephants in Zimbabwe are so abundant that they are devastating the National Forest."
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 9, 2015
Trump family values? : In 2015 photos leaked showing two of Trumps sons, Donald Jr and Eric, posing with trophies from a 2012 big game hunt in Africa. Photo: www.liberation.fr
However, despite his many controversial opinions and statements about Africa, some on the continent continue to find The Donald quite fetching.
@MarkLandler If I could vote from Africa I would vote for @realDonaldTrump to make America great again. #Africa4DonaldTrump2016
— Tabi Joda #GreatGreenWall Ambassador (@TabiJoda1) April 28, 2016
@greta We stand with @realDonaldTrump here in Africa. Go Trump WH2016 We love you…..always realistic
— Tabi Joda #GreatGreenWall Ambassador (@TabiJoda1) April 28, 2016
congratulations @realDonaldTrump @EricTrump …..i your supporter from East Africa https://t.co/63UIvo1UKa
— Best Apple Deals 🇹🇿 (@allex_albert) April 27, 2016
It’s not hard to explain the cult of Trump in Africa. The answer to its existence no doubt lies somewhere between the popularity of his show, The Apprentice across Africa and the fact that – as Daily Show host Trevor Noah likes to remind us – Trump could really be America’s first “African president” in that he exhibits many of the traits that have come to typify leaders on the continent.
