Final Word from Tuesday, January 13, 2026

When Donald Trump first announced his candidacy for U.S. president on June 16, 2015, the New York Times called it an "improbable quest for the Republican nomination" but said that Trump had a good chance of qualifying for the nationally televised debates because of his "enormous media profile." As well-known as he was, the newspaper added, Trump was also widely disliked: A recent poll had found that about seven in 10 voters held an unfavorable view of him, including 52% of Republicans. Trump rose to prominence in part by calling climate change a "hoax." It's now the Green Deal that offers the somewhat Trump-like Filip Turek the chance to embark on an improbable quest to challenge Petr Pavel for the presidency in 2028, if that is indeed what Turek has up his sleeve. From today's perspective, it's silly even to consider the unpopular Turek as a serious contender, but Trump proved that with the right timing, a combination of domestic and global events can make even the improbable happen. [ Czech Republic United States TV Motorists ]