Donald Trump Labelled 'Loser of the Year' by Europe's Biggest News Magazine

The German magazine Der Spiegel has delivered a withering assessment of President Donald Trump's 2020 in an article headlined "The loser of the year."

The piece of more than 3,300 words pulled no punches in criticizing Trump's response to the coronavirus pandemic, his refusal to accept an election defeat, and for good measure, it took swipes at other presidential actions this year.

Headlined in German "Der Verlierer des Jahres" the article published online on Thursday describes how Trump's refusal to accept President-elect Joe Biden's victory is "not surprising," because, as Roland Nelles and Ralf Neukirch write: "nothing is normal under Trump.

"Instead, he speaks of massive electoral fraud, although there is no evidence for it. Trump's presidency ends as it began. Without decency and without dignity."

"The country is more divided than ever since the times of the Civil War. This is not a by-product of Trump's politics, it is their goal," the piece says, concluding that "permanent conflict is part of his strategy... he does not even give the impression that he is the president of all Americans."

The Black Lives Matter movement and the protests and counter-protests following the killing of George Floyd in May meant that "now is the time to unite the country," Der Spiegel says, however, "Trump is fueling the conflict."

"He sends federal troops to Portland, although the Governor of Oregon is against it. He blames the 'Antifa' for the violence and avoids setting himself apart from right-wing extremist militias."

The article criticizes Trump's dismissal of numerous administration officials, his impeachment trial and the GOP senators it says have acted as his enablers. "The formerly proud party of Abraham Lincoln has degenerated into a collection of spineless yes-men."

With a circulation of around 870,000, the left-leaning publication is the biggest news magazine in Europe. It did note some positives, such as Trump's record number of votes, Republican gains in the House of Representatives and the strong chance that the GOP has of defending its majority in the Senate.

However Der Spiegel suggests the presidency was shaped the most by the coronavirus pandemic which "mercilessly exposes Trump's weaknesses" that were driven by a "disdain for science and expertise."

It says that Trump played down the pandemic, politicized it and "refuses to take responsibility in the worst health crisis the country has suffered for one hundred years. He is complicit in the deaths of numerous Americans."

It is not the first time that the magazine has given Trump both barrels. Last month, it called Trump "the squatter" and its front page image portrayed him in camouflage in the Oval Office, in a swipe at his reluctance to hand over power.

Newsweek has contacted the White House for comment.