Donald Trump has won the 2024 US election, making him the 47th President of the United States. The American businessman and media personality turned politician told supporters in Florida “America has given us an unprecedented and powerful mandate.”
Despite his ongoing criminal investigations, and 26 allegations of sexual misconduct; America will see the 45th President, also become the 47th at the US Capitol in January 2025. Ironically, this is the same location that he encouraged his supporters to storm after President Joe Biden’s election in 2021. These riots came after his false claim that the 2020 election had been “stolen,” and he made a speech stating, “If you don’t fight like hell, you’re not going to have a country anymore.”
Republicans have also retaken control of the US Senate and the House of Representatives. If Democrats in either chamber of Congress don’t put up a fight, this could provide Trump free reign to pass legislation he deems important.
Donald Trump will also be the first president to take office while several criminal cases against him are pending. Federal prosecutor Neama Rahmani has highlighted that a sitting president can’t be prosecuted, so many of these charges will be dismissed. In regards to his criminal charges on the January 6th Capitol riots, where he has been seen to incite violence; Trump has simply pledged to fire the judge who filed the charges against him.
Trump marginally won three battleground states over the Democrats which was vital for his victory. In Georgia, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin he won by less than 2% of the electoral votes, highlighting how divided American voters are in some states. The closest, Wisconsin, won by less than one percentage point.
Trump also gained in Nevada, surprisingly gaining support from Hispanic and Asian voters. He raised his share among Hispanic votes by 13 points, compared to 2020; which put him and Harris both taking 48% of the Hispanic vote. These numbers are surprising considering Trump has consistently been on the record since he launched his first campaign, using racist rhetoric towards Hispanics. Trump launched his bid to become 45th President 8 years ago with a harsh line between Hispanic and Latino immigrants “They’re bringing drugs. They’re bringing crime. They’re rapists. And some, I assume, are good people.”
Emerging trends show that voters who regarded immigration and the economy as the most important issue overwhelmingly voted for Trump. In stark comparison, voters who regarded women’s reproductive rights and the state of democracy as the most important, voted for Harris.
It is unclear what Trump’s political aims are, with his political agenda often given little detail at how he might achieve his aims. Trump was asked in 2023 whether he would abuse his power if he was re-elected, to which he replied “No, no, no, other than day one.” He referred to immigration laws and the closing of the border when considering this question. One of Trump’s main goals is to deport undocumented migrants and complete the building of a wall at the Mexican border, which started during his first presidency. Experts have warned that deportations on the scale Trump promises will face massive logistical challenges and will slow economic growth.
Moreover, he has promised to cut taxes and increase tariffs on foreign goods. Economists have also warned him that in doing so, prices may be pushed up for ordinary people. Other pledges he has made include cutting climate regulations and ending the Ukraine war. More generally Trump wants the US to have less involvement in foreign conflicts, however has positioned himself as a staunch supporter of Israel, with regards to the genocide in Gaza.
Vice President Kamala Harris, addressed supporters after conceding, urging them to accept the 2024 election results and committed to a peaceful transfer of power, following Trump’s win. A White House official said that Biden spoke with Trump to congratulate him on his victory and also expressed his commitment to ensure a smooth transition.
World leaders have called to congratulate Trump, including Japan, China, the UK, France and many more, who all hope for peaceful cooperation.
There are many concerns in America, as citizens prepare for the worst once Trump is inaugurated in January. Mass deportations threaten to break up families and vast cuts to Social Security and Medicare worry citizens all across America. Furthermore, uncertainty around whether a nationwide abortion ban will come into place has many women fearing for their healthcare rights.
Many are highlighting that fear has triumphed over hope in America, and have questioned the motive around re-electing Trump, after seeing his attempt to overthrow democracy four years ago.
Moreover, LGBTQ+ Americans are worried about potential hatred and targeting by Trump’s administration after one of his ads “Kamala’s agenda is they/them, not you” attempted to fuel hysteria about transgender rights. Alongside this, Trump’s close friendship with Elon Musk sparks concerns due to Musk’s transphobic rhetoric. Exit Polls have also shown that Kamala Harris received 86%, of LGBTQ+ votes, compared to the 12% captured by Donald Trump. Moreover, 62% of LGBT respondents in a poll by NBC News, said they’d be “scared” if Trump won.
American TV Host, Jimmy Kimmel, became tearful on his talk show, the night after the election saying that the 2024 election is “A terrible night for women, for children, for the hundreds of thousands of hard-working immigrants who make this country go, for health care, for our climate, for science, for journalism, for justice, for free speech”.
It is unclear what the future holds for the United States and its citizens. Many of Trump’s policies are not clear, meaning the country will wait to see what the next four years bring for them. Donald Trump has called his win a “magnificent victory for the American people”, which we shall see unfold.
