By: Sobha Beghoura
The initial results had decided early on the fate of the US presidential race before the end of the ballot counting process in some election offices and the official announcement of the final results.
The former President, Donald J. Trump, wasted no time to declare his victory in the US election 2024 against the Democratic candidate, Kamala Harris, to become the 47th president of the US. The journey to the White House was long and tough, and both presidential campaigns organized the largest rallies for the biggest political event in the history of the US and the world.
Sweeping Victory
Trump has achieved a historic victory on four fronts at once: ballot box results; majority votes of states’ governors; members of the Senate and the House of Representatives. Thus, Trump has made an unexpected triumphant comeback four years after losing to the Democratic Joe Biden.
Trump’s victory in the US presidential election entails waiting for the implementation of his declared policies under the “Make America Great Again” slogan. It means that the US was great during his first term, but deteriorated under the rule of the Democratic President, Joe Biden.
Trump’s Policies
The President-elect is expected to support and empower the social movement, as Trump wants to save the American society from whom he calls “criminals and terrorists,” referring to migrants.
Hence, the coming period will likely see large-scale deportations of groups of foreigners of various nationalities. This could also involve preventing the uncontrolled inflows of traffickers across the borders, closing the borders and fighting illegal immigration through strengthening border security.
In return, the government will take unprecedented measures to encourage population growth, by offering $6,000 incentive to each newborn, cutting taxes, and avoiding wars.
Rise of the Republicans
The Republican Party was established in 1854 by the opponents of the Kansas-Nebraska Act which allowed slavery in some American territories. After that, the Party adopted the Classic Liberalism, championed economic reform, and opposed the spread of slavery in the country.
Abraham Lincoln was the first US President from the Republican Party. During his reign, the slavery was banned in the US in 1865.
After 1912, the Republican Party underwent an ideological shift to the right, especially after enacting the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. The core of the Republican Party has changed and the southern states have become more reliable in the presidential politics.
In the 21st century, the Republican Party’s support base includes people who live in rural areas, men, the Silent Generation, white Americans, and Evangelists.
This brief historical background offers clues about the anticipated trends of the US administration in the coming period, particularly the political and economic situations.
Foreign Policy Issues
The majority gained by the Republican Party in the Senate and the House gives Trump both chambers’ endorsement of his policies within the US and beyond. A lot of changes are expected to take place in line with new circumstances. Trump will likely form his government with ease. He could seize the war in Gaza as a failure for the Democratic administration that led to its defeat in the US election 2024.
The position of the US Republican President on the Palestinian issue is no different than the Democratic President. Trump does not support the two-state solution. So, Israel is not expected to loosen its grip on the Palestinian people before achieving its declared hostile goals with American blessing.
Trump’s victory has raised hopes in Europe of reviving economic and trade ties, bringing the global economic downturn to an end.
China has declared that its US policies are steadfast and clear, and will not change whoever is the president. China also said it had expected Trump’s win and that it seeks relations built on mutual respect. Furthermore, the European Commission emphasized the need for maintaining a permanent alliance with the US.
Opportunities and Challenges
One could reasonably believe that there are real opportunities for establishing global peace and security, and that the victory of Donald Trump is a great opportunity to bring the Russia-Ukraine war to an end.
However, some observers fear that the US President-elect could help Israel in accelerating its settlement expansion in Gaza and the West Bank.
It seems too early for Iran to define its stance on the Republican President’s victory. Reactions have ranged from concern to caution and optimism. Trump’s first term was marked by an unprecedented escalation with Iran, starting from the US withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal in 2018 to imposing harsh economic sanctions, known as the “maximum pressure” campaign.
The coming period could see signs of détente in many complex international issues. However, several existing crises could see further complications towards limited military escalation.
Understanding US Foreign Policy
The US foreign policy is centered around strengthening political and military alliances; spreading the values and principles of freedom, democracy and human rights; maximizing the American interests, while maintaining a pragmatic approach towards others.
Moreover, it involves balancing pragmatic and ethical considerations in foreign policy, and prioritizing cross-border trade and technological relations as key determinants of the US’ political and security relations.
