Donald Trump has deflected the focus of the criticism against his mishandling of coronavirus and the freeze on funds for the World Health Organisation.

Having signed the new immigration order with promptitude on Wednesday, he has revived his pet electoral theme, pre-eminently the immigrants issue and has thus played to the nationalist gallery in an election year.

Chiefly, he has announced a 60-day ban on immigrants seeking to live and work in America, with the caveat that he could extend it depending on the economic fallout from the coronavirus pandemic. That fallout, he must be acutely aware, will be severely damaging, even at the mildest estimation. Unmistakable, therefore, is the element of protectionism given the tottering economic agenda. This is the raison d’etre that the US President has advanced.

The executive order, he has let it be known, is an effort to protect American workers from foreign competition. It will apply only to those seeking green cards and not temporary workers. Having said that, he has stopped short of explaining how the applicants, whose papers are now being processed, will be affected. He has made it obvious that the praxis of “Americans first” will be effected yet again. Four years after Election 2016, the US President has been remarkably explicit.

The “pause” would be in effect for 60 days, after which the need for an extension or alternation would be reviewed “based on economic conditions at the time”. Markedly, he has confirmed that he might then decide to add a further 30 days or more, in a hint that is almost reminiscent of extending lockdowns in different parts of the world.

The US President has made his position clear on green cards, a complex procedure such as it is. “This order,” he said, “will only apply to individuals seeking permanent residency. In other words, those receiving green cards”. Protectionism, geared to safeguarding the interests of the American, is the critical underpinning of the new immigration matrix.

Unlike in 2016-17, he has been riveted to protecting jobs of what they call “sons of the soil”. This time, there is no terrorist and/or religious underpinning as during the first year of his presidency, when he barred citizens of six Islamic countries from setting foot on American soil. Mr Trump moved slowly to contain this virus. In parallel, he has been exceptionally prompt in signing the new immigration order. The United States of America has been jolted by 44,999 deaths and 823,786 afflictions (both still counting). And not by the immigrant. There can be no contrived obfuscation of cruel reality.