The former US President Donald Trump faces several pending criminal investigations and or indictments on the local, state, and federal levels. There is a New York State investigation into tax evasion and the recent indictment charging him with falsifying records to cover up hush money payments to avoid scandal; a Georgia investigation into his efforts to pressure election officials to change the results of the 2020 vote count; federal investigations into his repeated failure to comply with requests to return classified documents, and his efforts to incite violence to subvert and overturn the results of the certification of the 2020 election.
This column, however, was prompted not so much by the charges Mr Trump faces, or the events of Tuesday's court proceedings and his subsequent comments from his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida. Instead, it was brought on by a recent article in an Israeli newspaper that posed the question “Does Netanyahu Hate Israel?” It went on to describe the many ways in which the Israeli Prime Minister, in order to save himself from criminal prosecutions, is attempting to overhaul the country’s judiciary. To build the Knesset majority he needed to secure his immunity, Mr Netanyahu made concessions to far right and ultra-Orthodox religious parties, causing the societal angst that has brought the country to its knees. This description of the Israeli leader putting his personal interests ahead of his country is strikingly similar to Mr Trump’s behaviours since the time he began to run for the presidency in 2016, leading me to ask the question: “Does Donald Trump Hate America?”
Mr Trump’s most fervent followers would answer: “Of course not, he loves America. He’s going to make America great again.” But after examining his rhetoric and actions, especially those in recent days, one is left wondering exactly which America Mr Trump is talking about.
While nominally affiliated with and embraced by the Republican Party, Mr Trump clearly doesn’t share the party’s historic respect for law enforcement or the institutions of state. For example, he held his most recent campaign rally in Waco, Texas on the 30th anniversary of the deadly Waco shoot-out between federal law enforcement and a weaponised religious cult. That event has become a cause celebre for far-right militias nationwide as an example of government overreach.
The Waco rally began with a video of a choir comprised of inmates imprisoned for participating in the January 6, 2021 violent insurrection at the US Capitol. First, they sang “Justice for All,” followed by the national anthem. Mr Trump’s embrace of the January 6th insurrection and his view that its perpetrators are patriots was made clear when he began his remarks referring to the convicts saying: “Our people love those people.”
Threads of Mr Trump’s identification of America’s success with his own success go back to the beginning of his 2016 presidential campaign
His speech had three main components: a rehash of the claim that the 2020 election was stolen; a violent denunciation of the investigations and charges against him as unjust and part of a “witch hunt”, a point emphasised by the campaign-printed signs carried by the crowds reading “witch hunt”; and a reprise of the apocalyptic themes that dominated his 2016 Republican convention speech.
In attacking his political opponents, Mr Trump used the violent rhetoric with which he’s become identified. He accused Democrats of being “unhinged,” “out of control,” and guilty of “rigging elections”. The “biggest threat” to the US, he observed, is not Russia or China, but “the Department of ‘Injustice’” and “deep state” of “politicians like Mitch McConnell, Nancy Pelosi, Chuck Schumer and Joe Biden”.
He referred to the NY attorney general who is investigating him as a “degenerate psychopath that truly hates the US”. And declared that when he wins in 2024: “The thugs and criminals who are corrupting our justice system will be defeated, discredited, and totally disgraced.”
As he has often done, Mr Trump described his campaign in ominous “end-of-times” terms. America, he said, is being threatened by “demonic forces” that are out to drive the country into a “lawless abyss,” with his campaign being the only force capable of defeating them and saving America. “Our opponents have done everything they could to crush our spirit... but they failed. They’ve only made us stronger and 2024 is the final battle...You put me back in the White House and their reign will be over and America will be a free nation once again.” Later he added: “Either the Deep State destroys America, or we destroy the Deep State.”
Threads of Mr Trump’s identification of America’s success with his own success go back to the beginning of his 2016 presidential campaign. In his 2016 convention speech, after describing in dark terms the evils facing our country – many of them in racialist terms (crime, immigration, poverty and ruined neighbourhoods, Islam and terrorism) – he proclaimed that “I alone can fix it”.
More than most politicians, Mr Trump uses the royal “we,” as in “We will make America great again,” but the “we” is merely a transparent substitute for “I”. And so in his campaign rhetoric, Mr Trump equates the threats against him – his 2020 loss, the GOP establishment politicians who oppose him, the media, the FBI, the Department of Justice, the courts – as threats to making America great. It’s easy to conclude that Donald Trump doesn’t really love America or its foundational institutions that are threatening him. He seems to hate the country’s aspirational values of tolerance, diversity, and freedom for all. What he loves is Donald Trump. And he appears to be willing to make any deal necessary, with any partners who will support him, and even to incite violence – because the thing that seems to matter most to him is his own success.
The team
Photographer: Mateusz Stefanowski at Art Factory
Videographer: Jear Valasquez
Fashion director: Sarah Maisey
Make-up: Gulum Erzincan at Art Factory
Model: Randa at Art Factory Videographer’s assistant: Zanong Magat
Photographer’s assistant: Sophia Shlykova
With thanks to Jubail Mangrove Park, Jubail Island, Abu Dhabi
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
Company%20profile
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Tips for job-seekers
- Do not submit your application through the Easy Apply button on LinkedIn. Employers receive between 600 and 800 replies for each job advert on the platform. If you are the right fit for a job, connect to a relevant person in the company on LinkedIn and send them a direct message.
- Make sure you are an exact fit for the job advertised. If you are an HR manager with five years’ experience in retail and the job requires a similar candidate with five years’ experience in consumer, you should apply. But if you have no experience in HR, do not apply for the job.
David Mackenzie, founder of recruitment agency Mackenzie Jones Middle East
Best Foreign Language Film nominees
Capernaum (Lebanon)
Cold War (Poland)
Never Look Away (Germany)
Roma (Mexico)
Shoplifters (Japan)
TOURNAMENT INFO
Fixtures
Sunday January 5 - Oman v UAE
Monday January 6 - UAE v Namibia
Wednesday January 8 - Oman v Namibia
Thursday January 9 - Oman v UAE
Saturday January 11 - UAE v Namibia
Sunday January 12 – Oman v Namibia
UAE squad
Ahmed Raza (captain), Rohan Mustafa, Mohammed Usman, CP Rizwan, Waheed Ahmed, Zawar Farid, Darius D’Silva, Karthik Meiyappan, Jonathan Figy, Vriitya Aravind, Zahoor Khan, Junaid Siddique, Basil Hameed, Chirag Suri
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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The specs
Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel
Power: 579hp
Torque: 859Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh825,900
On sale: Now
Squid Game season two
Director: Hwang Dong-hyuk
Stars: Lee Jung-jae, Wi Ha-joon and Lee Byung-hun
Rating: 4.5/5
10 tips for entry-level job seekers
- Have an up-to-date, professional LinkedIn profile. If you don’t have a LinkedIn account, set one up today. Avoid poor-quality profile pictures with distracting backgrounds. Include a professional summary and begin to grow your network.
- Keep track of the job trends in your sector through the news. Apply for job alerts at your dream organisations and the types of jobs you want – LinkedIn uses AI to share similar relevant jobs based on your selections.
- Double check that you’ve highlighted relevant skills on your resume and LinkedIn profile.
- For most entry-level jobs, your resume will first be filtered by an applicant tracking system for keywords. Look closely at the description of the job you are applying for and mirror the language as much as possible (while being honest and accurate about your skills and experience).
- Keep your CV professional and in a simple format – make sure you tailor your cover letter and application to the company and role.
- Go online and look for details on job specifications for your target position. Make a list of skills required and set yourself some learning goals to tick off all the necessary skills one by one.
- Don’t be afraid to reach outside your immediate friends and family to other acquaintances and let them know you are looking for new opportunities.
- Make sure you’ve set your LinkedIn profile to signal that you are “open to opportunities”. Also be sure to use LinkedIn to search for people who are still actively hiring by searching for those that have the headline “I’m hiring” or “We’re hiring” in their profile.
- Prepare for online interviews using mock interview tools. Even before landing interviews, it can be useful to start practising.
- Be professional and patient. Always be professional with whoever you are interacting with throughout your search process, this will be remembered. You need to be patient, dedicated and not give up on your search. Candidates need to make sure they are following up appropriately for roles they have applied.
Arda Atalay, head of Mena private sector at LinkedIn Talent Solutions, Rudy Bier, managing partner of Kinetic Business Solutions and Ben Kinerman Daltrey, co-founder of KinFitz
Jeff Buckley: From Hallelujah To The Last Goodbye
By Dave Lory with Jim Irvin
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
Credit Score explained
What is a credit score?
In the UAE your credit score is a number generated by the Al Etihad Credit Bureau (AECB), which represents your credit worthiness – in other words, your risk of defaulting on any debt repayments. In this country, the number is between 300 and 900. A low score indicates a higher risk of default, while a high score indicates you are a lower risk.
Why is it important?
Financial institutions will use it to decide whether or not you are a credit risk. Those with better scores may also receive preferential interest rates or terms on products such as loans, credit cards and mortgages.
How is it calculated?
The AECB collects information on your payment behaviour from banks as well as utilitiy and telecoms providers.
How can I improve my score?
By paying your bills on time and not missing any repayments, particularly your loan, credit card and mortgage payments. It is also wise to limit the number of credit card and loan applications you make and to reduce your outstanding balances.
How do I know if my score is low or high?
By checking it. Visit one of AECB’s Customer Happiness Centres with an original and valid Emirates ID, passport copy and valid email address. Liv. customers can also access the score directly from the banking app.
How much does it cost?
A credit report costs Dh100 while a report with the score included costs Dh150. Those only wanting the credit score pay Dh60. VAT is payable on top.
The Intruder
Director: Deon Taylor
Starring: Dennis Quaid, Michael Ealy, Meagan Good
One star
Find the right policy for you
Don’t wait until the week you fly to sign up for insurance – get it when you book your trip. Insurance covers you for cancellation and anything else that can go wrong before you leave.
Some insurers, such as World Nomads, allow you to book once you are travelling – but, as Mr Mohammed found out, pre-existing medical conditions are not covered.
Check your credit card before booking insurance to see if you have any travel insurance as a benefit – most UAE banks, such as Emirates NBD, First Abu Dhabi Bank and Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank, have cards that throw in insurance as part of their package. But read the fine print – they may only cover emergencies while you’re travelling, not cancellation before a trip.
Pre-existing medical conditions such as a heart condition, diabetes, epilepsy and even asthma may not be included as standard. Again, check the terms, exclusions and limitations of any insurance carefully.
If you want trip cancellation or curtailment, baggage loss or delay covered, you may need a higher-grade plan, says Ambareen Musa of Souqalmal.com. Decide how much coverage you need for emergency medical expenses or personal liability. Premium insurance packages give up to $1 million (Dh3.7m) in each category, Ms Musa adds.
Don’t wait for days to call your insurer if you need to make a claim. You may be required to notify them within 72 hours. Gather together all receipts, emails and reports to prove that you paid for something, that you didn’t use it and that you did not get reimbursed.
Finally, consider optional extras you may need, says Sarah Pickford of Travel Counsellors, such as a winter sports holiday. Also ensure all individuals can travel independently on that cover, she adds. And remember: “Cheap isn’t necessarily best.”
THE SIXTH SENSE
Starring: Bruce Willis, Toni Collette, Hayley Joel Osment
Director: M. Night Shyamalan
Rating: 5/5
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Racecard
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