A year after the defeat, the Democrats feel pretty good, as evidenced by the results of the last gubernatorial election. But the internal crisis in the party has not been overcome, and the successes are largely due to the mistakes of President Trump.

On the morning of November 8, 2016, almost everything foreshadowed that Hillary Clinton would become the elected president of the United States, and the Republicans would have to recover for many months or even years from the shameful defeat and Trump's candidacy. The Democrats were preparing for a triumph.

In fact, the opposite happened: the party's voters stayed at home, which drowned the prospects not only of the former first lady, but also of several senatorial candidates. In the congressional elections, the Democrats were able to increase representation in both chambers, but they failed to get a majority. In fact, a year ago the party was on the verge of political bankruptcy.

The disaster was not even the defeat itself, but the sudden failure of the party's strategy, which relied on two political heavyweights - Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, who each in their own way trampled the entire democratic youth. The charismatic Obama was so good for the basic Democratic voter that almost any bright young politician lost to him in comparison. Clinton, in the absence of charisma, simply did not allow such comparisons: while preparing for her first presidential nomination in 2008, the Clinton family and her allies concreted the political space in the party for her. Having burned themselves that year on a young Obama, the Clintons have re-rolled the party since 2012, this time making sure that young politicians will not challenge it.

As a result, in November 2016, the Democrats witnessed the defeat of a well-deserved but uninspiring Clinton and found that there were simply no young politicians in the party who would have federal campaign experience and would be familiar to the voter. Moreover, the Democrats have realized that they not only do not have new faces, but also a constructive agenda for the next two years. They were preparing to be the party in power and promote the rather impressive and well-researched program of Clinton, who published an entire book on the eve of the election describing the proposed reforms. However, in the role of opposition, the Democrats were left only to defend the legacy of Obama and to resist Donald Trump, who did nothing but revise this legacy.

However, criticism, even of such an unpopular leader, quickly annoys the voter. The Democrats were faced with the fact that the chosen political model did not work: in all the spring-summer 2017 by-elections, they focused on criticizing Trump (and, of course, “Russian hackers”) and as a result lost. This led to the fact that some democratically minded publicists and experts began to call on the party to get away from the fight against trumpism as the only ideological basis.

And yet, on the whole, Trump's year has been uneven, but successful for the Democrats: the Republicans have not yet managed to advance a single significant legislative initiative, which was primarily facilitated by infighting within the party and the president's chaotic managerial style. Demographics are also on the side of the party: the share of the non-white population traditionally supporting the Democrats will only grow.

The Democrats' party strategy will still be shaping up ahead of the November 2018 elections, in which they will try to increase their representation in Congress and rehearse the 2020 presidential campaign. The main bifurcation facing the party is to move to the left, towards liberal progressives, where a significant part of Democratic voters, especially young ones, drift, or towards the center, assuming that the liberals will not go anywhere and will vote for a centrist from their party against any Republican candidate. This is an eternal fork in American politics, and parties usually do this: they flirt with the radicals in the primaries, and move to the center closer to the elections. However, today, as the share of left and right voters is growing, and the number of independent and centrist Americans is steadily declining, there is a temptation to work only with one's own nuclear audience without the risk of losing staunch supporters due to being moved to the center.

An excellent illustration of the current state of affairs for the Democrats are the results of the November 7 elections: in two states, New Jersey and Virginia, the Democrats won by a wide margin. A significant part of those who voted for them motivated their choice by the rejection of Trump and his activities as president. However, Virginia Governor-elect Ralph Northam built his campaign on a promise to work constructively with the White House, while Trump was actively campaigned against by other Democratic pressure groups, including those associated with former President Obama. The confident victory of the Democrats was due precisely to a combination of anti-Trumpism (for the party's base electorate) and the proposal of a constructive regional agenda.

New hopes?

Although there are still three years before the presidential elections, the question of who will lead the party to them is already being actively discussed. Today, in the camp of the Democrats, there are proven trump cards, ambitious young politicians, and dark horses.

Perhaps the main presidential candidate today is former Vice President Joe Biden, who withdrew from the 2016 election due to the death of his son. He has several times expressed his regret and confidence that in the last election he would have been the best candidate - he would have brought the party the votes of angry white workers from Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, which Clinton lacked so much. The main obstacle for Biden is his age, in November he turns 75 years old. However, he is only four years older than Trump.

Another powerful old man Democratic Party— 76-year-old Bernie Sanders. His success in 2016 was due in large part to his uniqueness as an alternative to Clinton, as well as his left-wing populist agenda. In this field, he is competing with - and most likely to take over the leadership in this part of the political spectrum - Senator Liz Warren. They represent the left wing of the party and will play on the active criticism of Trump and the establishment in general, including in their own party; for example, Warren recently admitted that the Democratic apparatus in the 2016 primaries played along with Clinton. So Warren is trying to enlist the support of the Sanders voters.

Clinton herself cannot be written off. Today, her nomination in 2020 looks like a mockery, but after several years of Trump's "successes" such a turn of events will be quite possible. During the promotion of her book What Happened, Clinton has already stated that she has sat at home enough and she will not leave public life anywhere. However, she has few chances for a third political campaign, her party's mistakes cost too much.

Many in the party would like to see representatives of the new generation among the leaders. Behind recent months several young members of Congress have made themselves known loudly, but it is still difficult to say whether the Democratic voter will be ready to support Obama 2.0 - a relative newcomer to politics, but charismatic and able to work with the electorate.

The same number of questions arise for potential candidates who come from business. Trump's experience shows that a businessman is not always successful in politics, especially if he has not built relationships with the establishment of his party.

Finally, there is a lot of speculative talk about the nomination of representatives of political dynasties - Michelle Obama or Chelsea Clinton. However, with all the good attitude towards these candidates, the previous electoral cycle showed how tired the voter is of the nepotism of American politics.

A year after the crushing defeat, the Democratic Party feels afloat, but in many ways this is the result of Donald Trump's chaotic and conflicting policies towards his own party. Democrats should stop externalizing their problems and blaming Hillary Clinton and Trump and the Russians for their defeat, start developing a platform that is really relevant for their voters, maintaining a balance of elements of the traditional left and progressive agenda and maintaining a constructive centrist position. In this case, they will be able to transform the defeats of last year into big victories in 2018 and 2020.

The election results can be described as a stunning political sensation for America. Most forecasters and analysts were confident in Clinton's victory.

“America will never settle for less than the best,” Trump said on November 9 in his victory speech to voters.

“Our campaign is over, but our work is just beginning, and we will do this work in such a way that you will be proud of your president,” he added. Trump personally thanked former New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani and New Jersey Governor Chris Christie for supporting him on the campaign trail. He also expressed gratitude to the former head of military intelligence, Michael Finn, who ensured the security of the election race.

“We will seek the opportunity for dialogue and partnership, not conflict,” Trump said, standing next to his family members. This was, among other things, a message to the Clinton electorate, who definitely does not want to see Trump as their leader. The Republican has already taken the first step by paying tribute to Hillary Clinton and her team, who he says have done a "great job."

During the pre-election period, the intensity of tension between the two politicians often crossed the boundaries of decency. Both candidates have done a lot to exacerbate this confrontation.

Now Trump will face quite a challenging task: he needs to convince the Democratic electorate that he is not a sexist and unbalanced xenophobe, but a completely consistent politician suitable for all Americans.

Embracing red-dressed wife Melania, Trump left the stage, apparently stunned but happy. He has repeatedly admitted that most of all in life he loves to win.

The hall chanted: “USA! USA!" The song of the British band The Rolling Stones "You Can" t Always Get What are you Want" ("You don't always get what you want").

shock victory

Clinton's results can be compared with the results of Republican Mitt Romney, who lost in 2012 to the still incumbent US President Barack Obama. Four years ago, Romney received 206 electoral votes to Obama's 332. In the general vote, Obama received 51% of the popular vote, and Romney - 47.2%.

Today, the gap between Clinton and Trump is much smaller. According to CBS, 47.2% of Americans who came to vote voted for the Democrat, 47.9% for the Republican.

Trump managed to secure victory in key US states, including Florida, where he was able to mobilize his white American supporters. Trump also managed to win in Ohio. This victory is considered mandatory for every Republican who wants to become President of the United States. Democrat Obama won the 2012 elections in these states.

At the same time, Clinton's loss in states that were traditionally considered democratic looks indicative, Victoria Zhuravleva, a leading researcher at IMEMO, said in a conversation with Gazeta.Ru.

In her opinion, Trump's victory is largely the result of a protest vote. People want to see someone in the presidency who is not associated with the traditional Washington establishment.

That's what Trump was alluding to in his latest campaign video. “The only force that can remove this corrupt government is you Americans,” he argued.

“Trump's victory is a new revolution. The same thing that Obama did, but from the opposite side. Anger has reached its maximum, ”says Zhuravleva from IMEMO. She recalled the first presidential campaign of Barack Obama, who also marched under the slogan of change and also challenged Washington, however, much less aggressively.

Like Obama, only angrier

Trump has become the 45th President of the United States and will succeed Democratic President Barack Obama in January.

Together with Trump, his vice president, Indiana Governor Michael Pence, was elected. "Systemic" Republicans pin a lot of hopes on him. Unlike Trump, Pence is an experienced and respected politician in the leadership of the party.

The victory of the eccentric billionaire who made his fortune in the construction industry symbolizes a revolution in the American political system. Trump will be the first president in recent history United States, which has never held any political or government office. He has been in business all his life, both in construction and in the entertainment industry. His personal fortune is $10 billion.

An equally important result of the election is that the Republicans, in addition to their president, gained control of both houses of the US Congress. This hasn't happened since the 1980s.

Trump positioned himself as an anti-establishment candidate and, despite lagging behind Clinton in all opinion polls, was able to attract voters dissatisfied with "official Washington".

“Issues such as the maintenance of a liberal international order, the spread of democracy, the containment of Russia, and the presentation of Vladimir Putin as the center of world evil — on which the Clinton campaign was largely based — turned out to be of little concern to the average voter, which is why the results turned out like this,” Dmitry Suslov, Program Director of the Valdai Club Foundation, Deputy Director of the Center for Comprehensive European and International Studies at the National Research University Higher School of Economics, told Gazeta.Ru.

“These results speak of the deepest split between the establishment and the American population,” the expert added. - The entire US elite needs to draw certain conclusions, and it seems that in this sense politic system The US will be reformed. Trump's victory is a colossal shock that cannot be left as some kind of accident and hope that in four years Trump will not be elected and everything will return to normal."

Despite the fact that Trump was officially nominated for the presidency of the Republican Party, its leadership sees him as an outsider and for a long time actually refused to support him. Ex-president US George W. Bush, as well as representatives of the leadership of his administration, ignored the congress at which Trump was nominated for the presidency.

According to many experts, Trump's victory will lead either to reformatting or to a split within the oldest US party.

It will be difficult for Trump to find a common language with the establishment, of which he will become a part, since he does not have his own people, nor a ready-made team that he will bring with him into The White house.

Child in big politics

During the campaign, Trump repeatedly spoke positively of Russian President Vladimir Putin and announced that he would improve relations with the Kremlin. However, experts note that the warming of relations between Russia and the United States may not happen.

When discussing what the victory of Donald Trump means for Moscow, one must proceed from the fact that a very strict consensus of a negative attitude towards Russia has been formed in the United States, said Nikolai Zlobin, head of the Center for US Global Interests. In the media, in society, in the business community, and most importantly, in the elite.

And any president - in this case, Trump - if he wants to improve relations with Russia, he will have to go against the mood of his elite, Zlobin emphasizes.

In his opinion, Trump does not have a huge need to do this.

“The Donald Trump team is extremely anti-Russian. His vice president (if we recall the debates of vice presidents) has a much more negative attitude towards Russia than, for example, the same Hillary Clinton. Of course, the excitement and hysteria in relation to Moscow will subside, but it will be very difficult for Trump to realize the hopes that the Russians have about him as a person who will begin to improve Russian-American relations," Zlobin told Gazeta.Ru. - Trump, of course, can do something unexpected and striking: for example, call Putin and invite him to America, start negotiations with him. But all this will be superficial, without touching upon fundamental disagreements. And it is unlikely that Trump will want to fight his elite, abandoning other areas where he faces much more serious problems.

The US policy in Syria is also likely to change, but this should not be expected until spring, the expert believes.

"Trump said: 'Hillary is the war, and I am the world.' But he meant, of course, not that he would make peace, but that he would wage war much more effectively than his predecessors. Trump may turn out to be more decisive military leaders and take a more active position in the fight against ISIS (the organization is banned in Russia. - Gazeta.Ru). This is good, but we must keep in mind that then Washington will have more contradictions with Moscow and Damascus,” Zlobin said.

He noted that in this sense, the new president will be very dependent on who he chooses as his advisers.

“After all, Donald Trump is a child in politics. By winning this race, he performed some kind of miracle for an aspiring politician. But he will be very much guided by his surroundings, ”concluded the expert.

Image copyright AP Image caption IN Lately the party had to somewhat "adjust" its official line to the views of its candidate

Donald Trump, from the very first moment he appeared in public as a candidate for the presidency of the Republican Party, began to demonstrate his unorthodox.

He immediately identified his position on trade, immigration, and even gay rights as running counter to the accepted party line. But now that he has become a kind of "face of the party," she in many ways has to adjust her position to Trump's vision.

Here five provisions, according to which Trump crushed the generally accepted view of things among the Republicans.

Image copyright AFP Image caption In the past, Donald Trump has recognized homosexual marriages.

gay rights

What Trump thinks: In the past, Donald Trump has recognized homosexual marriages. For example, when British musician Elton John married his partner, Trump tweeted: "If two people like each other, then let them like it." But during his campaign, he emphasized that marriage should be the prerogative of a man and a woman, and the state should not be forced to recognize the union of homosexual couples.

He, however, expressed disagreement with a law passed in the state of North Carolina, which requires transgender people to use restrooms designed for the sex in which they were born.

After the shooting at a gay club in Orlando in June of this year, Trump directly addressed the homosexual part of the electorate, saying that he was much more concerned than Hillary Clinton about protecting them from Islamic radicals who disagree with such a sexual orientation.

Republican platform: The party is very clear on traditional marriage between a man and a woman as the foundation of a free society and denounces the Supreme Court's decision to legalize homosexual marriage, stating that every child needs a mom and dad family.

The party also condemns Barack Obama for carrying out a social and cultural revolution among the American people, which was expressed in the fact that the concept of sexual discrimination began to include sexual orientation and other categories. The party considers it dangerous and illegal to provide transgender people with access to latrines of their own choosing.

Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Trump questioned United States commitment to various alliances and pacts

National security

What Trump thinks: For Donald Trump, national security begins, continues, and almost ends with the construction of a 3,000-kilometer wall along the border with Mexico.

According to him, it will cost 12 billion, there are estimates twice as high as this. But whatever the cost of building it, Trump says Mexico will pay for it, possibly through taxes and visa fees, under the threat that individuals will be prevented from transferring money from the US to their home country of Mexico.

Trump also called for more investment in the defense department, saying that it should be adequately funded. He also questioned the United States' commitment to various alliances and mutual defense pacts with foreign nations, including NATO countries and South Korea, saying it was too costly for the treasury.

Last Wednesday, in an interview with the New York Times, Trump said that if he becomes president, the United States may refuse to guarantee the protection of the interests of NATO member countries.

According to him, the United States will come to the aid of only those countries that have "fulfilled their obligations" to the United States.

Republican platform: In the past, the party has called for a fence along the US-Mexico border and more funds for border control. Now, however, this is no longer enough. The wall, therefore, "should cover the entire southern border so as not to let traffic or pedestrians through."

The party has also dusted off Ronald Reagan's old "peace through strength" slogan and called for more funding for the war effort. It calls into question deterrence treaties, and while it still sees the point in an alliance like NATO, it demands that European countries invest more in their armed forces.

Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Trump Calls for Mass Deportation of 11 Million Illegals Currently Living in the US

Immigration

What Trump thinks: In December 2015, Trump was quoted by newspapers as different countries world when he called for a temporary closure of US borders to all Muslims "until we understand what's going on."

However, he recently partly retracted these words, saying that this is just a recommendation, and such a ban would be introduced only against countries with "proven terrorist activities" against the United States or its allies.

When he launched his election campaign, the first thing he did was attack illegal immigration from Mexico, accusing this country of sending drug dealers and rapists to the United States.

At the same time, Trump called for the mass deportation of 11 million illegal immigrants currently living in the United States, but not a word has been said about this lately. He also wants to reduce legal immigration and does not believe that those born in the US should automatically receive US citizenship.

Republican platform: The party acknowledges the contribution of legal immigrants, but warns that the current level of immigration is contributing to rising unemployment.

The party believes that refugees for political, religious or ethnic reasons who cannot be "properly vetted" should not be allowed into the country, especially those whose countries are hotbeds of terrorism."

The party takes a hard line on any legalization of illegal immigrants, arguing that illegal immigration endangers everyone, profits off taxpayers, and offends all those who wish to immigrate to America legally.

Image caption Republicans Want Trade Deals to Protect American Interests Above All

Trade relations

What Trump thinks: He constantly attacks what he sees as "unfair" trade agreements, namely the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a preferential trade agreement between 12 countries in the Asia-Pacific region. (TPP). There is an entire section on his website devoted to his proposed policy for changing existing US-China trade agreements.

Trump believes that past trade agreements were poorly drafted because they do not protect the rights of American workers or intellectual property, and he intends to renegotiate them with a focus on American interests. He called the TPP "country rape" and suggested hefty tariffs on those US trading partners who interfere with free competition (which would most certainly draw criticism from the WTO).

Trump also promises to punish any American company that moves its production abroad in order to pay its workers less.

Republican platform: The longtime free trade party tries to distinguish between "well-crafted trade deals" that create millions of US jobs and those deals that do not protect American interests or are not properly enforced.

The party has removed all references to the TPP, in stark contrast to four years ago when the party called for the deal to be concluded quickly so that the US would have greater access to Asian markets.

In addition, the party condemns the operations of the PRC authorities to stabilize the yuan, arguing that China's subsidizing of its own products is done in order to "crush American imports."

Image copyright EPA Image caption The main thing, according to Trump, is that America be "unpredictable" in its foreign policy

Foreign policy

What Trump thinks: Donald Trump calls American foreign policy a complete and utter failure, saying it has no vision, no purpose, and no strategy. He proposes to more zealously defend their own interests in the international arena, while avoiding participation in expensive projects.

He denounced the US-led war in Iraq, the Obama administration's involvement in the overthrow of the government in Libya, and what he calls "helpless attempts" to fight the so-called "Islamic State" in Syria and Iraq.

He also vowed to revive failed nuclear talks with Iran.

Trump spoke positively about the Russian president, once saying that he and Putin would find a common language.

Trump always speaks about China only in terms of trade or economic ties.

The main thing, according to him, is for America to be unpredictable in its foreign policy - so much so that its enemies cannot counteract it in any way.

Republican platform: The party says Donald Trump will not be bound by a recent deal with Iran that they claim allows Iranians to continue sponsoring terrorism and developing nuclear weapons.

The party calls for the destruction of the Islamic State group (banned in Russia), without going into details, and says that unconditional support for Israel is the expression of the essence of what America is.

In the Asia-Pacific region, the party is pushing for a complete phasing out of the North Korean nuclear program, accusing the Obama administration of encouraging the PRC authorities, and believing that a tougher stance should be taken in relations with China, as the liberal approach in China is being revised towards a return to Maoism.

The party denounces the erosion of personal freedoms and fundamental rights in Russia, but says the US intends to maintain friendly relations with the country. The harsh condemnation of Russian participation in the events in Ukraine, which was present in the party program in 2012, has now been removed.

It also says a few warm words about the country to beat Donald Trump - Mexico: "Its rich cultural and spiritual heritage, which is shared by millions of our fellow citizens, should receive greater understanding and establish better interaction between our countries."

Donald John Trump, 45th President of the United States, formerly a prominent construction magnate and television and radio celebrity. As a multi-talented and energetic person, Donald Trump tested himself in many guises. Success in urban planning, on television, the organization of various reality shows, beauty contests - he succeeded in everything, and if there were difficulties, then with real American optimism he continued to move forward.

Finally, deciding to try his hand at politics, Donald Trump declared himself the Republican Party's presidential candidate for the United States. Having won many primaries, he became the official presidential candidate on July 16, 2016, and in November of the same year became the 45th President of the United States, after defeating a representative of the Democratic Party Hillary Clinton .

Childhood, education of Donald Trump

Donald Trump as a child (Photo: wikipedia.org)

Trump's father Fred Christ Trump(10/11/1905 - 06/25/1999), mother - Mary Ann Macleod(05/10/1912 - 08/07/2000). Donald Trump's paternal grandparents are German immigrants. Trump's grandfather Frederick Trump(born Drumpf) (03/14/1869 - 03/30/1918). Came to the USA in 1885, received citizenship in 1892. Grandmother - Elizabeth Christ (10.10.1880 — 6.06.1966).

The parents of the future president got married in 1936. Mary Ann bore Fred five children: three sons - Fred Jr., Donald, Roberta and two daughters: Marianne And Elizabeth. Sadly, Fred Jr. has died. According to Donald Trump himself, his brother had problems with alcohol and smoking.

Donald Trump was an overly active and restless teenager in his youth. The future president even ran into problems because of this. when he attended Kew Forest School in Forest Hills. His parents sent him to a private boarding school - the New York Military Academy ("New York Military Academy") and were not mistaken. Donald liked this school, he played football, baseball, had awards.

Donald Trump with his parents at the graduation from the New York Military School (Photo: wikipedia.org)

In his book The Art of the Deal, Trump, recalling his youth, noted that after graduating from the military academy in 1964, he even thought about entering film school, but nevertheless decided that “real estate is more profitable business". It was not difficult for him to come to this idea, since his father worked successfully in real estate.

Donald graduated from the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania in 1968 with a Bachelor of Science degree in economics and a major in finance, after which he focused on a business career.

Career, business of Donald Trump

Donald Trump started out renting middle-class homes while working for his father's firm. One of his first projects, when he was still a student, was the modernization of the 1,200-unit Swifton Village complex in Cincinnati. The Trump Organization, thanks to the efforts of a young entrepreneur, sold it for $12 million (with a net profit of $6 million).

In 1971, Donald moved to Manhattan. He had the sharp eyes of a businessman already in his youth. He gained popularity with the renovation of the Commodore Hotel and the opening of the Grand Hyatt, and became a well-known urban planner in New York.

Donald Trump with his father (Photo: wikipedia.org)

While continuing to work in the construction business, he rationally estimated the cost of his projects. The Jacob Javits Convention Center project was estimated by Trump at $110 million, while the city's estimate ranged from $750 million to $1 billion. His project was not accepted. The city also attempted to reconstruct the Wallman Rink in Central Park. The project began in 1980 and was designed for 2.5 years. However, having spent 12 million dollars on it, the city authorities did not finish it by 1986. Donald Trump offered to accept the facility under construction for free in order to continue work for his own money, but he was again refused. As a result of the intervention of local media, he received a building permit, which he completed in 6 months, while saving $750,000 of the $3 million budgeted.

However, the business was not without difficulties. In 1989, Trump was unable to repay loans due to the financial crisis and the craving for high-interest "junk bonds". In 1991, mounting debts due to the $1 billion construction of the third Trump-Taj Mahal casino brought not only Trump's business to the brink of bankruptcy, but also him personally. Donald Trump got out of the situation by giving away half of the stake to the original bondholders in the Citibank casino and hotel in exchange for favorable repayment terms on these loans.

Until the late 90s, Trump had a difficult business situation, although he diligently got rid of debt and continued to be a successful real estate developer. At the same time, there were different assessments of his condition in the news about Trump, and so far the media are rarely unanimous in determining how rich Donald is and how much money he has at the moment. According to Trump's declaration of May 2016, the lower limit of his fortune is 1.5 billion. According to media estimates, his fortune is in the range of 3-4 billion. Only the TOP 10 most expensive real estate properties of a businessman are estimated at $ 2.5 billion.

Donald Trump in front of his buildings in Manhattan (Photo: wikipedia.org)

Donald Trump presidential race

Trump became interested in politics in 2000, when he participated in the primaries from the Reform Party. But really broke into political life USA and the world Donald after 15 years. On June 16, 2015, Donald Trump at his headquarters officially announced his intention to become a candidate for the US presidency from the Republican Party, and from that moment on, news about Trump gradually conquered the information space of the planet. “I will be the greatest president ever created by God,” he informed his associates. "Let's make America great again" was his slogan. election campaign.

At the Republican Party Convention in July 2016, Donald became the official Republican presidential candidate. Then there was the final spurt, during which the businessman Trump bypassed the politician Hillary Clinton, whom many predicted victory. In the November 8, 2016, presidential election, Donald Trump passed the 270 electoral college votes required to win (he received a total of 306 electoral votes).

After the inauguration on January 20, 2017, Trump's enemies did not calm down, they behaved obscenely aggressively. A whole campaign was launched regarding Donald Trump’s ties with Russia, while opponents did not disdain the dirtiest provocations, such as a pseudo-spy report about a businessman spending time with prostitutes in Moscow, where he visited the Miss Universe 2013 contest in 2013. President of Russia Vladimir Putin in an interview with a CNN journalist said that these scandals speak of degradation political elite United States, and Putin said about customers for "compromising evidence" that they themselves are "worse than prostitutes."

Trump's election campaign (Photo: AP/TASS)

Donald Trump family

Donald Trump has been married three times and has five children. He has eight grandchildren.

In 1977, Trump married Ivana Zelnichkova. The first wife is a Czechoslovakian skier, later a fashion model. Trump's children from his first marriage Donald (1977), Ivanka(1981) and Eric(1984). In 1992, Donald divorced his first wife.

Not very famous actress and producer Marla Maples- Trump's second wife, who bore him a daughter Tiffany Ariana(1993). Their marriage lasted from 1993 until 1999.

Donald Trump with family (Photo: Global Look Press)

In 2005, the billionaire married for the third time. Trump's current wife Melania(née Knaus). Melania Trump was born in the Yugoslav city of Novo Mesto in 1970, she is 24 years younger than Donald. Melania became a successful fashion model, besides she is a designer wrist watch And jewelry. Melania and Donald had a son in 2006 Barron William.

Instagram

Donald Trump's official account

© AFP 2016, Brendan Smialowski

Trump vs. Republican Party: It's time for reckoning

US Election Race 2016

The Republicans can no longer remain neutral as they now have to fight against this tycoon for the spirit of their party.

Hours before Donald Trump won the Republican presidential nominee by winning the Florida, Illinois, and North Carolina primaries — and coming second in Ohio to local favorite Gov. John John Kasich — I asked Stuart Stevens, chief campaign strategist for Mitt Romney's 2012 campaign and now a leading critic of Trump in the Republican Party, how, at this stage, a top presidential contender can be stopped from Republicans and how far anti-Trump Republicans can go to block his path to the White House. He answered very briefly: "The devil knows."

Given Trump's victories on Tuesday, March 15, this xenophobic mogul becomes an even greater test for the Republican Party. Until he was nominated as the only candidate from the party. However, among the remaining applicants, he has the best chance of achieving this - or coming close to this goal, having received a significant number of votes of delegates. This means that the moment of truth is now steadily approaching, when every Republican - including all elected officials, all candidates and voters - will have to answer a simple question: are you for Trump or against him?

In the coming weeks and months, this issue will be one of the main issues of American policy. Republicans in various positions will be required to give a clear answer, and their answer will determine whether their party can retain control in the upper house of parliament. All Republicans seeking official office will have to answer whether they support a Muslim-hating, women-ridiculing, Mexican-critical, and violent Trump. Forget immigration reform, fighting ISIS, tax cuts, government contract limits, and the healthcare system. It is Trump's candidacy that will become the main fault line in the Republican Party, since all its members will have to take one of the sides in this insoluble dispute.

Context

Super Tuesday-2

The Washington Post March 16, 2016

Super Tuesday: Winners and Losers

The Washington Post March 2, 2016

Trump is enemy number one

Boulevard Voltaire 03/15/2016
This serious problem is entirely the work of the Republicans. For years, members of this party have encouraged and actively used the techniques of hate politics, which have contributed to the toxic atmosphere in which Trump thrives. Before, the Republican Party establishment had been able to garner the votes of disgruntled and angry voters without having to deal with the fury it fueled and bet on. Even if Trump is removed from the equation, the 2016 GOP slate still looks rather nasty, as its top candidates seek to win voter support by appealing to the extremist sentiments of the party base. Marco Rubio, who ended his campaign after being beaten by Trump in his home state, was at one time the Republican establishment's alternative to the tycoon, but during his campaign he sharply criticized Hillary Clinton for Benghazi. Not only did he disagree with the policies of President Barack Obama, he stated that Obama deliberately wanted to destroy the US. In addition, he has repeatedly stated that Obama is trying to take away their weapons from the Americans - during his campaign, he even bought a gun right on Christmas Eve, saying that he needed it to protect his family from ISIS. In this way, he tried to win the support of those Republicans who were led to believe that Obama was some kind of Muslim socialist of Kenyan origin, who entered into a conspiracy to destroy the United States.

Ted Cruz also appealed to extremist sentiments. Think of his father, Rafael Cruz, the fundamentalist pastor who constantly calls Obama an enemy of God and calls on conservative Christians to take control of every aspect of society. Ted Cruz himself is friends with a pastor who called for the execution of all homosexuals. Ben Carson, who briefly topped the GOP ticket, promoted conspiracy theories that liberals were determined to destroy the American nation. Chris Christie legitimized the bad language during the debate by vowing to kick "Obama's ass out of the White House."

There has been a lot of crude, vulgar and violent rhetoric and hate-motivated extremism during the Republican campaigns that did not come from Trump. Who started the penis size debate? Rubio speaking out about Trump's small hands. It's just that Trump, who has a lot of experience in public relations, has managed to pick up the flaws of the Republican Party and turn them into votes. Republicans, surprised by the rise of Trump in their ranks on the basis of fear and hatred, have not yet paid attention to this.

The Republican Party has long unleashed the hate dogs. Now Trump, like Montgomery Burns, is at the head of the pack. And the Republicans are starting to wonder how to stop all this madness. Senator Ben Sasse recently pledged to found a new political party if Trump becomes the Republican nominee. Stuart Stevens says he will support the move. “I think it’s a personal moral choice,” he notes. “But from my point of view, Trump is a racist, so I cannot support him.” Meanwhile, the creation of a new party will become an extremely difficult task. In most states - thanks to the efforts of Democrats and Republicans - it will be very difficult to add a third party line to the ballot. As a rule, it is much easier to find a place on the ballot for an independent candidate. However, in many states, the application deadline for independent presidential candidates closes before the July GOP convention. Therefore, anti-Trump Republicans cannot wait for a convention and the actual nomination of Trump to create a third party - a project that will require huge material investments and organizational efforts. In any case, the plans of Republicans and conservatives to nominate an alternative candidate in the event that the Republican Party gives the nomination to Trump will be extremely difficult to implement.

Republicans will have to pass this test. If the Trump Express doesn't derail, long before the convention starts, Republicans will have to say whether they're ready to ride the train or not. And if they want to get off it, what will they do next? Rubio called Trump a con man. How can he now support a scenario in which a supposed crook could get his hands on control of the US nuclear arsenal? Romney also spoke out against Trump. He won't accept any other candidates - he supported Kasich in Ohio - but he called for a vote against Trump. Will he call for the formation of a new party or for the support of an alternative conservative? Although some in the Republican Party establishment have spoken out against Trump, their campaign so far remains poorly organized, poorly funded, and therefore not very convincing. Leading conservative activists have scheduled a meeting later this week where they intend to develop a plan to nominate a conservative who could challenge Trump in the fall. However, many influential members of the Republican Party have not yet declared their preferences. Paul Ryan and Mitch McConnell, we are waiting for your decision. (During his victory speech to a crowd of rich and powerful people Tuesday night, Trump noted that he had recently spoken with Ryan and McConnell and called on the party to unite under Trump's banner.)

Given Trump's victory on Tuesday, the 2016 campaign will turn into a national referendum on Trump's candidacy. For a long time Republicans hoped that this election would be centered around Hillary Clinton. Her victories Tuesday in Florida, Ohio and North Carolina will take her a big step towards the Democratic nomination, but there is much in her and her past that could be the subject of a heated national debate. So far, the November election seems more like a vote on Trump's candidacy. And before giving that choice to the American public, Republicans need to deal with Trump. Until this or that Republican declares his attitude towards Trump, his words will have almost no meaning. And whether Trump's opponents create a third party or support some strong independent candidate, the Republican Party is unlikely to avoid a deep split in its ranks. Some Republicans will side with Chris Christie, others will turn away in horror. No one can evade the question about Trump, and the Republican Party may not survive this hour of reckoning.