Obama Polished the Empire. Trump Exposed It

Sindujaa D N

Obama Polished the Empire. trump Exposed It.”

A Brutal Comparison of Two Presidents Who Reshaped india and the World**

America loves to pretend that presidents are moral architects of history.
They’re not.
They’re executors of American self-interest.

Obama and trump differed in tone—but not in ambition.

1. Obama: The Soft-Spoken Hawk

Obama bombed 7 countries, expanded CIA drone operations, and deported more people than any president before him.

He sold the illusion of morality with:

  • Clean diplomacy

  • Elegant speeches

  • Global cooperation

But beneath that:

  • China grew uncontested

  • Russia annexed Crimea

  • Syria collapsed

  • ISIS rose

  • US surveillance expanded globally

Obama’s foreign policy was sophisticated, but often paralysed by overthinking.

2. Trump: The Bull in the china Shop Who Still Hit Some Targets

Trump shattered the façade.
He exposed:

  • NATO’s dependency

  • China’s trade exploitation

  • Middle east hypocrisy

  • WHO’s political compromises

  • US corporate lobby influence

His decisions often lacked morality—but carried brutal clarity.

He said openly what US policymakers whispered privately.

3. India: Beneficiary or Pawn?

Under Obama:

  • India was praised but not prioritised

  • US still balanced Pakistan

  • China was allowed to expand militarily in Asia

Under Trump:

  • India became a strategic pawn against China

  • US support was loud, but driven by American fear

  • Trade disputes with india increased

  • H1B visas were tightened

Both presidencies used India.

Obama used diplomacy.
Trump used pressure.
Neither treated india as an equal power.

4. Economy: The Illusion of American Strength

Obama’s economy looked stable.
Trump’s economy looked booming.

Both were illusions.

Obama stabilised Wall Street—not workers.
Trump boosted stock markets—not wages.

Both accelerated the shift of global production to Asia, strengthening china economically.

5. The Hypocrisy and Hidden Agendas

Obama:

  • Spoke of peace, expanded wars

  • Spoke of climate, expanded oil drilling

  • Spoke of equality, bailed out banks not citizens

Trump:

  • Spoke of America First, but protected billionaires

  • Spoke of toughness, but weakened institutions

  • Spoke of draining the swamp, but fed it

Both used rhetoric to mask American power projection.

6. The Real Losers and Winners

Winners:

  • China (grew under Obama; militarised under Trump’s chaos)

  • Big Tech (expanded surveillance + global markets)

  • Global arms industry

  • Middle Eastern monarchies (Abraham Accords)

Losers:

  • Global South (instability)

  • World institutions (weakened)

  • Migrants & refugees

  • Climate goals

  • India’s strategic autonomy (caught between US-China rivalry)

For more interesting updates click and follow Indiaherald WhatsApp channel

Find Out More:

Related Articles: