In a rather astonishing twist, Donald Trump has reclaimed the title of the 47th President of the United States as of Wednesday. This marks a significant return for the former president, who famously resisted accepting his election loss four years prior. During those years, he faced several controversial challenges, from a violent uprising at the Capitol to surviving two attempts on his life and being convicted of felony offenses.
The decisive win came with a victory in Wisconsin, pushing Trump past the critical 270 electoral vote threshold required for the presidency.
This victory seems to vindicate his combative style of politics. He fiercely attacked his opponent, Kamala Harris, often in deeply personal and controversial ways, painting the nation as being threatened by violent immigrants. His blunt rhetoric, paired with a larger-than-life persona, struck a chord with many angry voters—particularly among men in an extremely divided America.
“We’ve overcome a lot together,” Trump announced to his supporters in Florida, who came out in droves. “You’ve made this victory possible by showing up in unprecedented numbers. It’s something special, and we’re going to return the favor.”
As he takes the helm, Trump promises to greatly reform the federal government and exact revenge on those he considers foes. Addressing his supporters that morning, he claimed an “unprecedented and powerful mandate.”
His triumph caps what has been a historically turbulent election cycle, marked by two assassination attempts against Trump and a surprising late shift in the Democratic nominee just a month before their convention. With inauguration set for January 20, Trump faces a landscape full of intense political splits and global tensions challenging America’s clout abroad.
His win over Harris, the first woman of color to be the top candidate for a major party, marks the second occasion Trump has outdone a female rival in a general election. Harris ascended to the nomination after President Biden left the contest, with growing worries over his age. Despite early excitement surrounding her campaign, she struggled to persuade disillusioned voters she embodied change from an unpopular administration.
Harris stayed silent publicly following the outcome, although her campaign co-chair, Cedric Richmond, mentioned she would make a statement on Wednesday. “You will hear from her tomorrow,” he affirmed. “She’ll be here then.”
This development makes Trump the first former president since Grover Cleveland in 1892 to re-enter the office. It’s historic in terms of his age, being the oldest person elected at 78, and with a felony conviction on his record. Partnered alongside him is Vice President J.D. Vance, a 40-year-old Ohio Senator, setting a generational record for the U.S. government.
Before Trump’s win was even confirmed, congratulatory notes began flowing in from around the globe.
Back in the Oval Office, Trump will face fewer obstacles. His plans for a transformative agenda are formidable. GOP critics in Congress have dwindled in numbers, many having retired or been defeated. The federal courts are stacked with judges appointed during his previous term. The Supreme Court, with three of his appointees, recently ruled to provide presidents with extensive immunity from prosecution.
Trump’s aggressive campaign and conduct have triggered alarm among Democrats and some Republicans, warning of potential threats to democracy if he returned to office. He has openly praised authoritative leaders and vowed to target political adversaries using military force, labeled them as internal ‘enemies,’ threatened media outlets critical of him, and even hinted at suspending the Constitution.
Many who served in Trump’s previous administration, such as ex-Vice President Mike Pence and John Kelly, his long-time Chief of Staff, have either refrained from endorsing or issued stark warnings regarding his possible return.
While Harris initially spoke of themes centered on hope, Trump tapped into widespread voter discontent, fueled by economic pressures and anxieties over crime and immigration tied to Biden’s tenure. He highlighted external conflicts to frame his opposition as presiding over what he described as global disorder.
He perfected this tactic back in 2016, positioning himself as the unique savior for the nation’s troubles, frequently borrowing authoritarian expressions. “In 2016, I said I am your voice. Now, I’m also your fighter, your vindicator. For those wronged and betrayed, I am your reckoning,” he declared in March 2023.
This campaign wasn’t short on theatrics or oddball claims, including spreading outlandish rumors about immigrants allegedly stealing domestic pets for food. His rallies sometimes veered into peculiar territory, including one where he shared an offbeat anecdote about golf legend Arnold Palmer in a rather intimate context.
The defining moment of the campaign might have been in July when an assailant opened fire at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. A bullet narrowly missed Trump’s ear, killing one of his followers instead. Bloodied but undeterred, Trump raised his fist, rallying the crowd with cries of “Fight! Fight! Fight!” A few weeks later, another attempt was thwarted when Trump’s security detail identified a hidden firearm at an event.
Few predicted Trump’s resurgence when he left Washington in early 2021 as an isolated figure whose falsehoods about election fraud incited the Capitol riot. At his departure ceremony, attended by only a handful of non-family members, he left Andrews Air Force Base to the sound of ceremonial gunfire.
The Democrat-led House quickly impeached him for inciting insurrection, marking his second such verdict. Yet, the Senate acquitted him, many GOP senators considering him no longer a threat post-exit.
However, Trump stayed politically active from Mar-a-Lago, supported by some Republican figures. Representative Kevin McCarthy, spearheading the GOP in Congress, notably visited Trump post-presidency, reaffirming Trump’s enduring influence within the party.
As the 2022 midterms approached, Trump’s endorsement power defined much of the Republican primaries, with his chosen candidates rarely losing. Still, some failed to win their elections, partly due to backlash from the Supreme Court decision, backed by Trump’s justices, which struck down abortion rights. This fueled doubts within GOP circles about Trump’s viability as a leader.
But by 2023, any uncertainty about Trump’s political future was overturned amid a slew of state and federal charges against him regarding the Capitol riot, classified information mishandling, and meddling with elections. He used these indictments to frame himself as a wronged against authority, bolstering his appeal among a base increasingly skeptical of traditional institutions.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, among Trump’s primary challengers, complained how the legal battles overshadowed the 2023 Republican primaries. Without attending any debates, Trump quickly clinched the party’s nomination.
In an unexpected turn amid Trump’s dominance in the GOP fray, a New York jury convicted him on 34 counts involving attempts to meddle in the 2016 election with hush payments to a purported former lover. Despite upcoming sentencing, his recent presidential win casts doubts over actual penalties being enforced against him.
Moreover, Trump faces additional legal trouble with lawsuits in New York related to asset inflation and an accusation of sexual misconduct, as well as ongoing election-related charges in Georgia. Federal indictments concerning the 2020 election also loom. Upon taking office, Trump might appoint leaders who could nullify these federal cases.
As he readies for another term, Trump’s set on a profound agenda meant to reshape American governance. Plans include executing the largest deportation measures, using the justice system to settle scores, leveraging tariffs significantly, and pursuing foreign policy that could sever time-tested alliances, including NATO ties.
During his initial tenure in Washington starting in 2017, Trump was comparatively uninformed about federal governance operations. His plans were frequently thwarted by Congress, the judiciary, and his own senior staff who often acted as moderating forces.
This round, Trump aims to surround himself with unwavering loyalists intent on executing his vision without question, arrived ready with comprehensive executive orders, legislative blueprints, and detailed policy agendas.
Edited by: Ali Musa
alimusa@axadletimes.com
Axadle international–Monitoring
