By Krish Lukha.

On November 6th, 2024, Donald Trump defeated incumbent Vice-President Kamala Harris and became the second president in US history to be elected for two non-consecutive terms, as well as the first ever convicted felon to take office. What’s next for the US, the UK, and how did this happen?

Not only has Kamala Harris lost the popular vote, by the worst margin since the 1980s, but she has also lost all seven swing states up for grabs in 2024, most notably Pennsylvania. The Republicans have flipped the Senate and control the House, giving them control over the entire legislative branch of the US government. This makes it much easier for President-Elect Trump to pass his policies during his time in office.

Exit polls reveal that the 2 issues which mattered most to voters were the economy, causing many to vote for Trump, and democracy. Oddly enough, according to CNN, 50% of voters who were very concerned with democracy decided to vote for Trump. This is especially surprising as Trump has consistently displayed his autocratic tendencies, and has pledged to be a “dictator” on day 1.

1 in 3 voters from an ethnic minority voted for him as well. More of those between the ages of 45 and 64 voted for Trump, compared to Harris who won in all other age groups but by a slim margin. Abortion was another key issue which affected the way in which people voted, with pro-life voters picking the President-Elect and pro-choice voters picking Harris. The main dividers between groups were not gender and race, as many predicted it to be, but education and location. Harris dominated the western and eastern regions, whilst Trump of course managed to take most of the midwestern and southern regions, which are traditionally Republican. These include Texas, in which Senator Ted Cruz managed to hold onto another term and defeated Democratic challenger Colin Allred.

What’s Next for the US?

(How a Trump presidency will affect the UK is outlined here: Opinion: What Trump’s Victory Means for the UK)

(Why Kamala Harris lost is set out here: Opinion: Why the Harris Campaign Failed.)

Trump once again has the Republicans in control of the House of Representatives and the Senate, as well as 6 Republican Supreme Court Justices. His policies include: a mass deportation of illegal immigrants and a pledge to secure the Southern border; increase tarriffs on everything, especially Chinese goods, probably starting a trade war in the process; staunchly supporting Israel instead of pushing for a two-state solution; achieve a peace ‘deal’ in the Russia-Ukraine war, allegedly within the first 24 hours of being elected (the clock is ticking); keep abortion rights with the states; deregulate businesses and provide tax-breaks for the ultra rich; and repeal Biden’s environmental policies. Trump is also skeptical of NATO and wants to reduce spending.

Many are concerned that his autocratic tendencies could get the better of him, and that this term, unlike his last, he has more of a focused plan on what to accomplish. Whilst Trump and his campaign distanced themselves from Project 2025, a conservative blueprint for his second administration which has appalled Democratic voters, this is also still a concern to many in the US.

However, he could not have accomplished this feat alone. Trump was aided by the Vice-President-elect J.D. Vance, billionaires Elon Musk (tipped for a cabinet role as head of government efficiency, who will try to slash spending) and Vivek Ramaswamy (former candidate for the GOP nomination), independent RFK Jr. (set to be in charge of women’s health), Democrat-turned-Republican Tulsi Gabbard and Tucker Carlson.

As all over the world people either celebrate or brace themselves for a second Donald Trump presidency, all eyes are on America to see what the President-Elect will do now after a victory and political revival.