On November 5th, Donald J. Trump was elected as the 47th President of the United States and will take office in Jan. 20, 2025, beating Vice President Kamala Harris.
“I think that the majority of people in my country view Donald Trump and his influence on the world in a negative way. Even though he won, I think that the younger people who weren’t eligible to vote in this election were in favor of Kamala.”
“I believe that many people doubt Trump in many aspects. Given how he was impeached during his last presidency and given the fact that he’s currently facing legal challenges I think many people doubt his integrity and character overall therefore raising concerns on how well he’s going to do as president.” – Del Mar Student Elisabeth, Mexico – Said Junior Elisabeth from Mexico.
Trump pursues an “America First” policy, which primarily aims to put American interests above international obligations. This could lead him to once again distance himself from multilateral agreements and alliances such as NATO or to want to renegotiate them. Countries in Europe and Asia could be forced to increase their defense spending and potentially form new regional alliances to ensure their security. In addition, US influence in Asia could decrease, making it easier for China and Russia to strengthen their position in the region.
Trump could also destabilize trade relations, as he is known for protectionist measures. In his first term, he used high tariffs against China and European countries to reduce the U.S. trade deficit. Measures like those could be repeated, putting renewed pressure on global supply chains. Countries that rely on trading with the USA could suffer from higher tariffs and unstable trade relations could lead to an economic global downturn.
“In Korea they like Trump but I heard he’s gonna charge 20% more tax for cargo things so they might be worried about Korean economics” – Freshman Jason Lee from Korea.
In his first term, he appeared to be a staunch opponent of the Paris Climate Agreement. A further withdrawal or weakening of US climate policy would significantly harm global efforts to combat climate change. Countries like China and the EU may be forced to increase their climate targets to offset US influence on greenhouse gas reductions. Nevertheless, a withdrawal by the USA would be a serious setback for international climate protection, as the USA is one of the largest CO₂ emitters in the world.
Trump plans to make immigration policies stricter, which could lead to problems, particularly in regions such as Latin America and the Middle East. His attitude towards refugees and migrants from conflict regions has already led to massive restrictions on the right to asylum and an increase in security at the borders in the past. Countries heavily affected by migration may be forced to adopt more restrictive measures, which could further exacerbate the global refugee crisis.
His policies likely question many global issues and institutions and complicate cooperation between nations. While some countries might seek to diversify more and reduce their dependence on the United States, an “America First” approach would potentially lead to a less stable and less cooperative world. However, the challenges of the 21st century – from the climate crisis to geopolitical conflicts – require global solutions and greater collaboration, which is why the international community is looking forward to the future of US policy.
“I think his decisions will impact the US directly. Being president comes with a lot of power and responsibilities and so I do unfortunately think that Trump will make decisions ultimately benefiting those of the upper class.” – Elisabeth from Mexico
