Trump v Biden: The biggest political showdown nobody asked for

Americans disagree on many things. But most concur they do not want a Donald Trump-Joe Biden rematch. And yet here we are, at a repeat of the world’s biggest political showdown.

For some time, whether Trump could even run for the White House was in doubt, after some states sought to strike him off the ballot for the Jan 6, 2021 insurrection. The US Supreme Court has since put to bed this premise, in a ruling that only Congress could decide so.?

Now that Trump clinched the Republican nomination, the question is whether Mr Biden’s supporters will now close ranks behind him. The answer is unclear. Even when the American economy defies predictions of a recession, the US president gets little credit.

Indeed, vibes will shape the US election. As I explained in the Straits Times’ To The Point video, that is because winning relies on effective mobilisation. People must take time off work to vote and need a reason to do that, unlike in Singapore, where winning depends on conversion, because voting is compulsory.

And indeed, the two candidates cannot be more different. Both Trump and Mr Biden are coming down on opposite sides on handling TikTok. Who would imagine the biggest test of US-China de-risking would be a popular social media app?

Stay tuned for our coverage of the US presidential race. Meanwhile, enjoy my picks of the week’s most interesting opinion pieces.

Cheers,

Lin Suling, Opinion Editor

Rising fear in Europe of a bigger showdown with Russia

By Jonathan Eyal

The Baltics are among countries deemed vulnerable to a new incursion.

Malaysia’s ringgit woes mask its bigger brain drain troubles

By Chia Wai Mun

Malaysia may lose skilled workers if more of them leave to make the most of stronger exchange rates.

E-commerce platforms shirking responsibility as scams erode online trust

By Irene Tham

E-marketplaces should be able to validate the identity of users to sift out the scammers. Telcos are showing the way with real-time tracking.

Buying more F-35Bs for fewer air bases and the limits of ‘jets for land’ thinking

By Mike Yeo

Amid the consolidation of land for defence use, Singapore must guard against thinking that suggests defence can be traded off.

What else I’m reading

• Make Singapore Sports Hub the region’s concert central
• Bring dead spaces beneath flyovers, viaducts back to life
• In a country where bookstores are closing, readers will ensure books endure

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