- Trump’s comeback to the White House after a gap of four years is historic, as he is the only president after Grover Cleveland to have achieved this feat.
- Black Americans or Whites, Hispanics or Asians, there has been a significant shift of the voting base from Democrats to the Republican Party across these communities.
- Most political analysts across the world are seeing this election as a reassertion of American conservative values.
A ruthless campaign led by both the Kamala Harris camp and the Donald J Trump camp ended in the red’s blossom, a clear victory for the republican party and its leader, Donald J Trump. His comeback to the white house after a gap of four years is historic, as he is the only president after Grover Cleveland (1893) to have achieved this feat. Trump’s return is most likely to send several shockwaves across the world. His victory indicates an apparent rightward turn in the USA and the return of specific vital issues such as borders, taxes, and wars. From stringent action against the storm of illegal immigration to the raging global conflicts in Israel, Iran, the larger Middle East, and Russia-Ukraine, a policy paradigm shift is a natural expectation from the Trump administration. Most political analysts across the world are seeing this election as a reassertion of American conservative values. The outcomes of this election are seen as a big blow and a massive setback to the ultra-left woke movement, which was on a brazen rise for the last few years. Most significantly, the return of the transactional nature of governance mired in the anxiety of uncertainty and disruption would most likely be the new normal.
Domestic Rumblings
In the American mainstream media, primarily controlled by the cartels of the left-liberals, Kamala Harris was projected to win the elections in the numerous popular polls. The actual results have been a wake-up call for them as to how disconnected and indifferent they are from the ground realities, especially of the working-class sections of all the ethnic groups. No matter whether one is a black American or white, a Hispanic or an Asian, there has been a significant shift of the voting base from Democrats to the republican party in all these communities. The Ivy League elites, crony capitalist billionaires supporting the ‘woke’ agendas to further their profiteering, have experienced the most significant blow in this election.
Donald Trump is expected to revamp the US Education system completely, specifically primary education, to instil nationalist education and free the American children of the toxic ideologies and dogmas being actively promoted as a result of the longstanding institutional capture of the ultra-left. This is significant because young children between the ages of 5-10 are being heavily sexualized in their thought and ideas because of the exposure to inappropriate curriculum and indoctrination of the trans-LGBTQ movement controlling the school. The doctors are authorizing gender transition surgeries for children as young as 14 years of age, wherein they are permitted to get a sex change operation without the consent of their parents. The increase in the rabid nature of the LGBTQ+ movement is yet another grave concern to which this election is seen as a response. The hope that Trump will fix these issues is the faith reposed by the core republican voters in him. However, addressing these issues would certainly be complicated and complex, and is far from resolving them for the new Trump administration.
No matter whether one is a black American or white, a Hispanic or an Asian, there has been a significant shift of the voting base from Democrats to the Republican Party in all these communities.
The menace of illegal immigration is yet another issue that has become the molten in the bonfire. Trump is set to deport millions of illegal immigrants, perhaps within the initial days of his taking over as the President. And by building the border fencing or wall along the Mexican border, it is all set to become a reality in the upcoming tenure of Trump. Whether it would solve the problem of illegal immigration or not is a question lurking in the minds of prominent political and strategic pundits of America and the world.
However, the glorious return of the Republican party indicates the reassertion of the American conservative values and the political validation of the politics and the policies of the American Right. The ideological left, specifically the neutralist centre-left politicians and intellectuals of America, need to introspect on their ideological position seriously. Their rudderless swaying in on major ideological issues and compromise on principles is the main reason why the radical elements in the democratic party, such as the Islamo-Fascists, Wokeists and Ultra-Left Anarchists, had taken the central stage. By observing all these concerning developments, the American population is somewhere subconsciously rekindling their traditional religious values and appeal to the god. This is a clear indication that there is a comeback of the Judio-Christian ethic in the American consciousness.
International Implications
Although it is well-established that Trump is a Transactionist and an unpredictable disruptor, there are undoubtedly credible expectations from Trump. One of the significant expectations from the Trump Administration is the ending of the prolonged Russia-Ukraine war, which has almost become a strategic stalemate and a continued source of revenue for the American Military Industrial Complex. Trump would undoubtedly attempt to bring about some form of a negotiated ceasefire treaty or a settlement in this conflict. On this issue, the personal equation of Trump and Putin can also be factored in, as they do share a warmth for each other, unlike Joe Biden, who couldn’t see Putin eye to eye. Let’s not forget that perhaps Trump is the only leader in the West who could engage in a candid fireside chat with Putin. We can be sure that there won’t be a new wave of aggression in this region being pushed by the passive support of the Americans.
Navigating the Middle East would be a challenge for Trump as it involves far more complex equations and strategic permutations of religion, ethnicity, internal turmoil and displaced communities. But one can certainly expect unconditional support for Israel, in which there wouldn’t be any strings attached, in the military, financial and technological assistance and Intelligence cooperation that the US would be offering. This means that Iran and its proxies in Lebanon and Yemen will have to face a greater wrath of the American military might, with an intense Israeli bombardment. Even on the economic front, Trump has serious plans to lessen the dependence of the Middle East on oil and look for domestic pastures of fossil fuel to generate the US’s fortress of oil economy. This would have a significant adverse impact on OPEC and other major oil-producing countries. Perhaps this move can permanently alter the political and strategic equations of the Americans vis-à-vis the Middle East. Europe and the EU would again witness the hot and cold treatment that they had experienced in Trump’s first term. A cut down on NATO funding and a transactional pawn deal model of expectations from the European nations might strain their relationship with the Americans.
In China, we can expect a more significant decoupling of the US economy and the sustenance of the American National Security Policy, which considers China its principal national security threat.
In China, we can expect a more significant decoupling of the US economy and the sustenance of the American National Security Policy, which considers China its principal national security threat. This brings us to India, where, except for the occasional laments on tariffs, the strategic bi-partisan continuation of US foreign policy on India is a given. Even on tariffs and other sensitive trade matters, both sides can resolve issues with pragmatic and rational negotiations. The Indo-Pacific Policy of America would undoubtedly see a continuity from the previous administration. However, there is an expectation that Quad will be further strengthened as a counterbalance to challenge the growing Chinese hegemony in the world order.
Conclusion
Contrary to the belief of the global strategic community, there would be greater stability in the world order. If we look back at Trump’s previous presidential history, he has not started any war but has certainly attempted to end one. The greatest example of this was the enforcement of the Abraham Accords, which aimed to bring about peace and cooperation in the Middle Eastern region as its larger strategic goal. Although the outcomes of this historic US election will have a significant paradigm shift in the domestic political landscape of the US, it will also open a larger debate on the ideological evolution of the left and right in global politics. Some of the foundational values of America such as faith in the divine, individual liberties and freedoms, and democracy as a virtue, were constantly being invoked by the intellectual right in the American elections. But the common emotional Republicans saw this as a triumph of the faith over the woke and the divine over the evil. However swayed we are with our ideological positions, a democratic victory of these emotions and sentiments must be respectfully garnered.
Although the impacts of the proposed policy shifts hang in uncertainty, Trump’s second term would undoubtedly open a new chapter and an era marked by both continuity and substantial change. In the barrage of uncertainty, anxiety and transactionalism that the upcoming Trump administration is expected to bring to the table, as per the political pundits, a potential third world war is certainly not on its cards.
Viswapramod is a PhD Scholar at the Department of International Studies and Political Science, Christ University, Bangalore. He has an MA in International Relations. Views expressed are the author’s own.