Why America chose Trump again: Key factors behind his victory
Editor's note: Moses Becker is a special commentator on political issues for News.Az, a PhD in political science and an expert on interethnic and interreligious relations. The article expresses the personal opinion of the author and may not coincide with the view of News.Az.
He's Back! Four years later, after enduring relentless persecution, lawsuits, and even two assassination attempts, the 45th President of the United States, Donald Trump, has once again returned to the Oval Office. History has seen a similar case when Grover Cleveland served two non-consecutive terms as president, defying expectations each time. And now history has repeated itself, promising a new chapter that, hopefully, will be written with greater success.Let us recall the challenges Donald Trump faced in 2020. At that time, the Democrats instigated racial clashes across the country, exploiting the tragic death of George Floyd, a man with a criminal past, during his arrest. In the midst of this unrest, the BLM movement arose, rallying African American communities against the Republicans. In 2024, the Democrats tried a new tactic to weaken the Republican position by instigating pro-Palestinian provocations against Jewish students on university campuses. However, this tactic backfired, rallying the Jewish community around Trump, who openly condemned government inaction and vowed to prevent a “second Holocaust.”
The Democrats' attempt to leverage the migration crisis for political gain also failed. Many Latin American U.S. citizens strongly disapproved of the influx of uneducated migrants from neighboring countries, among whom were drug addicts and dealers. Kamala Harris, the Democratic Party’s presidential candidate, showed herself to be ill-prepared for the campaign against a seasoned politician and orator like Donald Trump, who vigorously held rallies across the country, gathering massive crowds of supporters.
Economic conditions in the U.S. also played in Trump’s favor. Under President Biden’s administration, the economic performance of the country remained lackluster. According to a Gallup poll conducted in the summer of 2024, the primary issues concerning Americans were the economy (33%), high living costs, and inflation. Other pressing issues included weak leadership (26%) and immigration (19%).
In her campaign speeches, Kamala Harris pledged to prioritize the middle class, improve access to credit for small business owners, lower taxes for those earning less than $400,000 annually, and increase the corporate tax rate from 21% to 28%. She also proposed introducing the first-ever national ban on price gouging for food products, effectively implementing government price controls. However, raising corporate taxes would inevitably lead to capital “flight” and reduced employment opportunities.
In contrast, Donald Trump laid out a protectionist economic policy, including a 10% tariff on imports. He plans to simplify the tax code and reduce the maximum corporate tax rate from 21% to 15%. His plans also include expanding oil and gas production in new areas, increasing tax breaks for extraction companies, and halving the cost of energy resources and electricity. Trump intends to reduce federal spending and limit government intervention in the economy, creating new jobs by attracting private capital.
In foreign policy, Harris and Trump presented starkly different approaches. The Democrats maintained that the U.S. should lead on the global stage, despite recent domestic economic problems caused by high military spending. The U.S. national debt currently stands at $35 trillion, with a GDP of $27.36 trillion and a defense budget of $886 billion. In these circumstances, continuing to strengthen ties with NATO allies and the Asia-Pacific region and fulfilling collective defense commitments is becoming increasingly challenging. Democrats also cling to the outdated idea of resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict through the “two states for two peoples” approach, which no longer aligns with current realities. Meanwhile, they accuse China of “intimidating” its neighbors and call for stronger ties with Taiwan.
Recognizing the public sentiment, Trump is reverting to the isolationist principle of “America First,” a slogan that resonates with the majority of Americans. As the 47th president, he supports Israel in its conflict with Hamas, pledging to ban Gaza residents from entering the U.S. and to curtail pro-Palestinian demonstrations. He also plans to reduce aid to Ukraine and to resolve international conflicts solely through economic cooperation and the development of international trade.
As a pragmatic businessman, Trump does not see Russia and China as adversaries and plans to foster relations with both Beijing and Moscow. At the same time, he proposes a 60% tariff on imports from China and plans to prohibit Chinese companies from owning critical infrastructure in the U.S., including in the energy, technology, and agricultural sectors. Trump also intends to force Chinese investors to sell assets that threaten national security and gradually reduce imports of Chinese goods such as electronics, steel, and pharmaceuticals over the next four years.
How realistic these plans are remains to be seen. However, the fact that they resonated with the majority of American citizens is evidenced by Trump’s landslide victory on November 5, 2024, when the Republicans claimed not only the White House but also both chambers of Congress, marking a decisive endorsement of Donald Trump’s chosen path.
(If you possess specialized knowledge and wish to contribute, please reach out to us at opinions@news.az).
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