Anne-Marie Slaughter on Trump's US

The president of the New America think-tank talks to Alan Philps about the role of women in Trump’s Washington and how to achieve a golden mean between globalization and nationalism

The World Today Updated 24 November 2020 5 minute READ

Alan Philps

Former Editor, The World Today, Communications and Publishing

You worked as director of policy planning under Hillary Clinton when she was Secretary of State. In Trump’s cabinet the number of women seems likely to go back to the level of George HW Bush in the early 90s – about four women against 20 men. Can a US president turn the clock back on women’s rights?

This is an absolute scandal, and the press has not called him out nearly enough. He is erasing the gains that women – and people of colour – have made in terms of representative government. This is one thing where, sure, he can turn the clock back. We will not know whether he does it successfully until the next election when those who feel erased can use their political power accordingly. He received the votes of 53 per cent of white women.

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