Back in the Game: Trump’s Return to the White House
- Legally Speaking
- Nov 23, 2024
- 3 min read
Written by Naiesha Yerneni on November 23, 2024.
Donald J. Trump will be the 47th president of the United States. He is the second president to be president for two non-consecutive terms, the first being Grover Cleveland. He ran against Vice President Kamala Harris and won 312 votes in the *Electoral College (a candidate needs 270 votes to win), whereas Harris only had 226. According to NPR, in addition to winning the Electoral College, President Trump's victory was so significant that it led to unprecedented demographic changes in his coalition. According to Forbes, He won in almost every demographic, from young Republicans to Hispanic Americans. One of the reasons is due to the current state of the country. In the past two years, voters have raised concerns about the increase in inflation and border crossings. Washington Post writes, “Biden’s handling of border security was among his worst-rated issues in polls before he ended his campaign July 21 and endorsed Kamala Harris, his vice president, for the presidency.” Comparing Trump’s administration to Biden’s, the Washington Post states that the numbers rose to an all-time high of 2.2 million illegal crossings in 2022, whereas in Trump’s administration, it only increased to 700k.
In 2023, NPR continues, Exit polls showed Biden's approval rating at just 40%. Two-thirds of the surveyed group rated the economy negatively; only a quarter said their financial situation was better now than four years ago; three-quarters said inflation had caused them a severe or moderate hardship over the last year; and voters said they trusted Trump more on not just the economy, but immigration and crime too.
But how will Trump impact this country and its citizens moving forward? Let’s look at three focus areas: abortion, immigration, and LGBTQIA+ rights.
Abortion: According to CBS News, Trump has stated that “the states will determine by vote or legislation, or perhaps both, and whatever they decide must be the law of the land.” He has denied signing a national abortion ban, but has not expressed his opinions on whether he would veto the bill. His views have been inconsistent and have left many Republicans frustrated.
Immigration: Donald Trump has promised a closed border and mass deportations. CNN says this impacts many parts of the country. In California, in areas where farmers depend on migrant labor, there is a revived push for immigration reform to permit temporary agricultural labor in the United States. Legal status for the current workers is likewise being demanded.
LGBTQIA+ Community: Boston University writes, “Trump frequently targeted gender-nonconforming Americans in his remarks on the campaign trail. He falsely claimed that students were undergoing gender-reassignment surgeries at schools, vowed to ‘keep men out of women’s sports,’ and mocked LGBTQIA+ people in the military.” Throughout his campaign for presidency in 2024, Trump along with his running mate J.D. Vance has spoken about restrictions on healthcare for LGBTQIA+ individuals. As TIME Magazine reports, Trump will attempt to halt gender-affirming medical care for adolescents nationwide, particularly by threatening to deny federal funding to hospitals that provide this care.
Along with these things, Trump also has his foreign policy, which we know little about. According to the National Archives, Trump's "America First" foreign policy prioritized U.S. interests, focusing on reducing trade deficits, boosting domestic jobs, and increasing defense spending. But what will this mean for his second term? According to Al Jazeera Trump’s foreign policy could focus on a "peace through strength" approach, shaping U.S. involvement in the Ukraine-Russia and Israel-Palestine conflicts. This in turn would push European nations to take on larger roles in Ukraine’s defense, limiting direct U.S. involvement and aid while prioritizing negotiations for peace. In the Middle East, Trump would renew efforts to broker agreements between Israel and neighboring states, building on the Abraham Accords,(a series of agreements negotiated by the United States in 2020 that normalized relations between Israel and several Arab countries, including the United Arab Emirates) and take a hard stance against groups seen as destabilizing the region. His "America First" stance would prioritize U.S. strategic interests, likely reducing foreign aid and reshaping alliances to align with immediate American goals.
The events of Donald Trump’s four year presidency will only be told by time. But citizens of this country still have decisions to make. Even after the election, your voice still holds power. Speak out, take action in your community, and volunteer to create meaningful change for the future.
Electoral College: The Electoral College is a system in the U.S. where each state has a set number of votes, and the candidate who wins the majority of votes in each state usually takes all of that state's electoral votes; the candidate with at least 270 electoral votes wins the presidency.
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