Despite common perceptions seen from the United Kingdom attributing disarray and disorder to Donald Trump’s tenure, an individual who worked closely with him suggests a different narrative. Manisha Singh, a previous assistant secretary for economic and business affairs in the US state department during Trump’s presidency, remembers a much more predictable set of policies.
Singh, who identifies as a conservative with a preference for limited government, defends Trump’s policies. She remembers him pledging to reduce regulations, manage tax, enhance infrastructure, and prioritize American research, innovation, and development. To Singh, these principles align with her conservative ethos. She challenges the prevalent belief of unpredictable chaos within the White House, asserting her experiences within these spaces were ones of structured debate.
During her tenure from 2017 to 2021, Singh was under the supervision of Mike Pompeo, the secretary of state at the time. She affirms a consistent series of events that followed a typical structure, comparable to the one implemented in the Biden administration.
Singh, a Floridian lawyer of Indian descent, was charged with supervising the state department’s economic policy and commerce. She has an extensive career in Washington, including periods on Capitol Hill and within Republican administrations.
Singh’s Republican leaning influences her positive overview of Trump’s era. She insists that independently of one’s impression of President Trump, the US economy was thriving during his term. According to Singh, the Republican Party’s internal perspective on Trump often overlooks or understates some of his more contentious statements.
Regardless of any controversy, Singh upholds that his economic policies were beneficial. She cites the record low unemployment, manageable inflation, reduced energy gas prices, and the achievement of energy independence to show the sound economic condition of the United States under Trump’s leadership.
Manisha Singh, a former member of the first Trump administration, is confident in the success of both their economic performance and foreign policy strategies. Singh remained part of the administration until its conclusion. She was proposed as the US representative at the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development in 2020, however, this was deferred amid Covid-induced suspensions of Capitol Hill hearings.
Singh expresses no regret over her past involvement in the administration and strongly affirms that she would make the same decision if given the chance. Drawing attention to the programme aimed at uplifting women entrepreneurs, she underscores Trump’s staunch support. In a bid to tackle the issue where only 3 per cent of the venture capital funding was allotted to start-ups owned by women as of 2016, Singh spearheaded initiatives as the under secretary.
She credits President Trump for his support in bridging the opportunity gap and remains impressed by his admirable diligence, as showcased by surviving two assassination attempts. Her appraisals of Trump’s reign exude positivity, asserting that Americans should appreciate the administration’s economic success and effective foreign policy.
Singh believes Trump carries forward the Ronald Reagan’s ideology – ‘peace through strength’ which proved to be a successful approach. She travelled to Dublin to attend an international business summit, marking five years of DLA Piper’s Irish office. During her visit, she interacted with Paschal Donohoe, the Minister for Public Expenditure, and built a productive relationship with Dan Mulhall, the ex-Irish ambassador to the US.
She clarifies that her insights are based on her experience in a conservative administration, acknowledging the potential apprehensions in the EU and Ireland regarding the next moves of the Trump administration. Despite sharing her personal reflections, Singh emphasizes her presence at the summit to engage in discussions about the crucial US-EU relationship.