Financial Times: America’s Looming Constitutional Crisis

Investigations into interference in the 2016 US presidential election continue, with reports suggesting that the special counsel is examining the Trump Organization’s financial dealings with Russia. Leaders around the globe follow every detail to assess the resilience of US law. Donald Trump has called the investigations a witch hunt, expressing anger after the attorney general, an early supporter, recused himself. Termination could pave the way to firing the special counsel leading one of several investigations. Trump’s supporters have tolerated his refusal to release tax returns, impulsive attacks on critics and erratic policy decisions. Observers around the globe question how long US voters and American democracy can endure rejection of political norms. “America’s founding fathers created a system based on laws, not men,” writes Edward Luce for Financial Times. “But it is down to people to uphold the system.” Congress could launch proceedings on impeachment or the president’s fitness to serve, but that’s unlikely as long as public approval hovers around 40 percent for Trump and 20 percent for Congress. “Meanwhile the whole world is watching, a world that contains predators,” writes Peggy Noonan for the Wall Street Journal. “How could they not be seeing this weakness, confusion and chaos and thinking it’s a good time to cause some trouble?” – YaleGlobal