In a historic election cycle, President Trump has defeated Vice President Kamala Harris, giving him a second term in the White House. President Trump won by an unprecedented margin, securing both the popular vote and the electoral college. After being prosecuted four times and indicted as a felon, surviving two assassination attempts, having the Democratic candidate, President Joe Biden, who he was winning against be swapped out for another candidate, Vice President Kamala Harris, who a majority of news outlets predicted would emerge victorious, President Trump still prevailed.
In an NBC interview, President Trump credited two key factors for his success: his stance on immigration and his focus on economic concerns. Nationwide dissatisfaction with the current Biden Harris administration spurs from policies perceived as harmful to the nation’s stability. Soaring 40 year highs in inflation coupled with decreasing real wages frustrated many. The border crisis, with at least 7 million illegal immigrants flooding the country, overwhelming cities, and leaving our country open to Chinese and Mexican drug cartel backed fentanyl poisoning further fueled concerns about national security and local impacts.
As for the Democratic failures, these stem from the abrupt change in their candidate. In the aftermath of his debate with President Trump, many discerned that President Joe Biden appeared unfit to run for president. As a result, the Democratic Party replaced Biden with Vice President Kamala Harris without a primary election. A surge of hope for many Americans arose for a Democratic candidate who was youthful, as in not 80 years old. However, President Biden’s immediate endorsement of Harris raised many concerns among Democrats, due to her inexperience and historically low approval ratings. Junior David Leshchenko remarks that, “The Democrats chose the worst possible candidate to represent their party.” He goes on to describe that “Kamala did run for president before. She was such a bad candidate that everyone including Politico ran full pieces on how awful her candidacy was. She was also such a terrible vice president that half her staff quit.”
In the aftermath of Donald Trump securing the presidency, his administration’s early decisions have sparked both debate and hope across the nation. Key policies and cabinet appointments have drawn mixed reactions from supporters and dissidents of Trump alike.
One of President Trump’s primary initiatives, revisiting immigration policy, has already raised alarms. The enactment of tighter border restrictions and plans to deport illegal immigrants living in the US have been called “decisive” by supporters but “inhumane” by critics and those opposed to it. For example, sophomore Harry O’Sullivan expressed his concern that mass deportation is “A policy which a near consensus of economists believe will cause massive inflation surges and hinder the efficiency of the product supply chain.”
President Trump’s economic agenda is also in the spotlight. Claiming that his plans would bring jobs back to the U.S. and help reduce inflation, Trump intends to introduce significant changes in trade policy, eliminate taxes on tips and Social Security benefits, and drastically lower the corporate tax rate. However, his talks of numerous, stringent tariffs on foreign countries have also been a source of disagreement for many. Through these tariffs, President Trump intends to increase interest in domestically produced products. Harry expressed his misgivings over the decision, remarking that, “Tariffs can be beneficial for American industry, but only when targeted and implemented correctly.” Nonetheless, David Leshchenko says in response that, “Trump is a very practical man. If he sees that something is not working for the country, he will change it.”
Additionally, President Trump’s cabinet selections have added to the controversy. The appointment of individuals, some with limited government experience, to critical positions, including the Department of Education, has stirred debate. “It feels like we’re prioritizing loyalty over qualifications,” said an anonymous student.
Despite the limited government experience of Trump’s selections, many believe that his approach prioritizes real-world expertise, outside-the-box thinking, and loyalty to the administration’s vision. These appointments, while controversial, highlight the President’s larger aim to reshape the federal government and move away from the status quo, a source of discontent for many Americans, in line with his campaign promises.
As Trump’s administration unfolds, America remains divided but engaged, watching closely as the policies of the new administration begin to take shape.