The U.S. president had his biggest defeat on Friday since he took office in January as his plan to abolish Obamacare, the healthcare reform of his predecessor, Barack Obama came to nothing. It was something he had promised he would do. However, he lacked the necessary support in Congress. Before that, Trump had already suffered two major setbacks with his decision to veto the entry into the United States of people from certain Muslim countries and refugees. He signed an executive order to do so in January but was blocked by justice. He issued a new corrected order earlier this month and was again detained by federal judges.
Understanding failures
To understand such failures we need to look at several reasons which have been pointed out. The include the lack of governmental experience of the president and the disorder or the battles within the ruling. But there is something prior to all this that can also explain the problems of Trump, a mechanism that dates back centuries and yet seems to move in an oiled way now in Washington: checks and balances of power.
Several observers believe that the main reason for this failure of Trump was the ideological and power disputes in the Republican ranks. But the president quickly blamed this failure on the Democratic opposition, which he will probably have to persuade for new bills if the Republican rebellion continues.
The truth is that Trump looks weaker now than before his stumbling into the Capitol. Or, at least, the limits of its power seem clearer.
And within those limits should be included the investigations conducted by Congress and the FBI on the possible interference of Russia in the 2016 presidential elections. Regarding the latter, Attorney General Jeff Sessions should have declared himself unable to participate in the investigation.
Challenges
Another open question is how far Congress and the FBI will go in investigating the links between members of the Trump campaign and Russia. Everything indicates then that the checks and balances system could soon face new challenges. But many believe that the first 10 weeks of Trump's rule left clear lessons about the limits of power for a president who, before taking office, led a huge group of private companies with his name.
