Deportations, tariffs, and expenditure cuts are expected in Trump’s second term.
Former President Donald Trump defeated Vice President Kamala Harris on Tuesday. This prepares for a second administration, which he calls a “golden age,” in which he will deport many migrants, tax foreign goods significantly, and appoint wealthy friends to critical positions.
Several news outlets suggest the former president will not face federal charges when he takes office. The U.S. Justice Department plans to finish classified document and election meddling prosecutions in 2020 before the inauguration.
Trump’s populist campaign focused more on cultural complaints than policy, but he always promised to address immigration and the economy.
Trump has been tight on immigration throughout his 2015 presidential campaign. He campaigned this year to deport over 13 million illegal immigrants.
The expenses and challenges of running such a corporation, including temporary detention camps and a substantial rise in immigration enforcement funding, may make it challenging.
Numerous fiscal policy experts have warned that Trump’s intention to impose tariffs on all imported imports will raise consumer costs and ignite a trade war.
The former president threatened to hike tariffs on all Chinese imports by 60% and Mexican items by 25% to 200%.
Trump joked about a Cabinet and staff that included billionaire Elon Musk, who donated him money and helped him win. Musk promised hundreds of Trump supporters he could reduce $2 trillion in federal expenditure.
Trump also promised a high health position for Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. Kennedy is known for spreading vaccine misinformation and leaving a dead bear cub in Central Park.
On Saturday, the son of late Sen. and Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy tweeted that the Trump administration will “advise all U.S. water systems to remove fluoride from public water” on day one.
In his early Wednesday morning victory speech, the former president congratulated Musk and Kennedy, Jr. While chanting “Bobby, Bobby, Bobby,” he claimed Kennedy, Jr. would “make America healthy again.”
Trump stated, “He wants to do some things, and we’re going to let him go to it.”
A top campaign staffer said Harris called the former president on Wednesday to congratulate him on his triumph. The assistant said she stressed peaceful power transfer during the conversation. That was different from Trump’s 2020 refusal to hand over power to Joe Biden, who won.
Trump’s campaign spokesman Steven Cheung claimed the former president “acknowledged Vice President Harris on her strength, professionalism, and tenacity throughout the campaign, and both leaders agreed on how important it was to bring the country together.”
Trump may be the first convicted felon president. He must fill hundreds of political appointees during the presidential changeover. A Republican-led Senate should streamline this.
During his second presidential attempt, Trump was charged with federal charges and called political opponents the “enemy from within.”
This year, the U.S. Supreme Court gave presidents broad leeway to commit crimes as long as they claimed they were doing so for work. This might allow Trump to utilize the department against political opponents.
Trump, 78, will be the oldest U.S. president. His running partner, 40-year-old Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance, will be one of the youngest second-in-command.
Geopolitical effects
World leaders congratulated Trump before the AP called it.
“Congratulations on the greatest comeback!” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu wrote to first lady and president-elect Melania Trump on X. “Your historic return to the White House is a fresh start for America and a strong promise to keep the strong bond between the US and Israel.”
Qatari leader Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani gave X his best wishes about the same time as Netanyahu. Qatar looks forward to “working together again to strengthen our strategic relationship and partnership, and to advancing our shared efforts in promoting security and stability both in the region and around the world.”
Qatar is helping negotiate a truce and hostage arrangement to halt the Israel-Gaza confrontation.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine likewise congratulated Trump’s “impressive election victory.”
Zelenskyy posted on X early Wednesday, “I remember our great meeting with President Trump back in September, when we talked in depth about the Ukraine-U.S. strategic partnership, the Victory Plan, and ways to stop Russia’s aggression against Ukraine
“I like that President Trump is committed to the “peace through strength” approach to global issues.” This proposal can bring fair peace to Ukraine. Zelenskyy hopes we can do it together.
Israel and Ukraine need US aid to confront Hamas and Russia.
Though Trump has criticized U.S. assistance for Ukraine, he is unlikely to change U.S. policy toward Israel.
Trump has legal issues
Since January 2021, the former president has been prosecuted with several crimes and sued in civil court.
Trump had two ongoing federal cases and Georgia and New York cases during his protracted presidential campaign.
A federal judge released new information from U.S. special counsel Jack Smith a little more than a month before the election, allegedly showing Trump’s role in the plan to change the 2020 presidential election, which led to the violent attack on the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021.
The public case was put on hold for most of 2024 as Trump disputed the charges, arguing that previous presidents cannot be prosecuted for their actions.
The U.S. Supreme Court remanded the case back to the lower court in July after declaring that former presidents are deemed innocent of key constitutional crimes and immune from prosecution for activities outside the office, but not for personal acts.
Smith claims in hundreds of pages of new court documents that Trump tampered with the 2020 presidential election while running and consulting with private lawyers.
Trump has often threatened to fire Smith from the Justice Department if reelected.
Trump’s lone criminal trial took place in Manhattan in April and May. A jury convicted Trump on 34 felony business record fraud offenses. The former president hid paying a porn star to be silent before the 2016 election.
Trump’s July sentencing in his hometown has been postponed to November 26. Trump’s second run for the White House makes it unclear how New York Judge Juan Merchan will handle the lawsuit. Infighting over how the Supreme Court’s ruling on Trump’s immunity affected the evidence against him delayed the case.
Trump became the first former president to be charged with a federal crime in June 2023 for retaining classified records at Mar-a-Lago and refusing to handover them to the National Archives. In late July, a federal court dismissed the case. Smith appealed.
How states backed Trump
The Associated Press predicted Trump would win when Wisconsin gave him 277 additional Electoral College votes on Wednesday morning, surpassing the 270 needed. Harris had 248.
Trump had 292 electoral votes and five of the seven swing states where he and Democratic contender Kamala Harris spent most of their time campaigning until 2024 after winning Michigan around noon on Wednesday.
Georgia, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and North Carolina backed Trump. Nevada and Arizona had no winner.
GOP Senate
Trump had an easy time confirming his court and Cabinet nominees in the ensuing months when Republicans took over the Senate.
KY Republican Mitch McConnell, who is leaving leadership at the end of the year, called it “a hell of a good day.”
As of Wednesday afternoon, Republicans held 52 Senate seats and Democrats 43, according to the AP.
Republican Tim Sheehy defeated centrist Democrat Jon Tester to become Montana’s senator in an AP-called race on Wednesday morning. In 2024, Tester was his party’s weakest senator.
Wednesday afternoon, Republicans won 201–186 without the U.S. House called.
Keeping the chamber would establish a powerful Republican triumvirate in Washington, D.C., that could speed up tax, debt, reproductive rights, and immigration legislation.
In the coming days and weeks, local election officials nationwide will verify and approve the results.
Democracy fails as an issue.
Harris’ campaign utilized Trump’s refusal to admit he lost the 2020 election and was found guilty on 34 criminal counts to demonstrate his threat to democracy.
That message wasn’t received by voters. They told exit pollsters they were more concerned about excessive inflation.
Common Cause promoted democratic awareness. On Wednesday, they accepted the results but warned of Trump’s “grave threat” to democratic standards.
“We respect the democratic process, but we now have to face the fact that Trump’s actions and words are a grave threat to the core principles of our democracy,” Common Cause president and CEO Virginia Kase Solomón told reporters on a call. Being removed from office twice and facing multiple felony charges makes his return to office a unique threat to our country’s essential ideals.
A rollercoaster race
Trump mostly ran against Biden for reelection. Biden left the race in the summer following a poor debate performance.
That means Trump’s staff had to start a new campaign with Harris, a first-time opponent.
Harris, the underdog, strove to prove she was the next generation’s leader and that her housing, health care, and economic programs would change America.
She campaigned on reproductive rights and the dangers of a second Trump presidency, referencing the Supreme Court’s immunity ruling.
Trump’s key campaign issues—immigration and economic criticisms—seemed to have persuaded voters, and she failed to win any swing state votes.
Her loss in critical states that helped Biden win the 2020 election became apparent late Tuesday night. As her odds of victory worsened, thousands of her fans who had gathered to Howard University for a watch party left in waves.