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Trump’s Rivals Take Their Shot: Testing His Acumen

As the 2020 presidential race nears, President Donald Trump’s rivals have seized on opportunities to challenge his acuity and cast doubt on his policies on a range of issues. Former Vice President Joe Biden, Senator Bernie Sanders, and former Mayor of South Bend Pete Buttigieg all have different agendas and strategies on how to best tackle and oppose Trump in a bid to become President of the United States. Former Vice President Joe Biden, for example, enjoys the support of most of the Democratic establishment, many seeing him as the safest option to beat Trump. Biden’s campaign continuously harps on Trump’s perceived lack of leadership and mismanagement of the economy, often citing the current recession and historically high unemployment numbers as evidence of his ineptitude. Senator Bernie Sanders has taken this message of Trump’s lack of leadership and has amplified it into a full-force assault on the President. For months, Sanders has made a strong case against Trump’s handling of the pandemic and the economy, proposing a series of sweeping policies to combat these and other issues. Sanders’ platform emphasizes health care, infrastructure investment, and wages, in contrast to his rivals’ more moderate proposals. Former Mayor of South Bend, Pete Buttegieg has also sought to challenge Trump’s leadership and policies. However, he does so in a much more measured manner. Many of Buttigieg’s proposals are rooted in bipartisan appeals and would likely have an easier chance at succeeding in Congress than those of his rivals. He has frequently rebuked Trump for his “divisive rhetoric” and called for a “national solidarity” to get through the pandemic. Additionally, Buttigieg has strongly advocated for an “infrastructure revolution” that could put the U.S. economy back on track. As the 2020 election draws nearer, Trump can expect his rivals to continually challenge his acuity and policies and do their best to win the Presidency. Despite their different messages and plans, they all utterly oppose Trump and demonstrate a conviction to lead America and undo much of his work. Ultimately, voters will have the final say.