Written by As you might have read, Donald Trump has been elected President of the U.S. for the second time. This was a very impactful decision not only in the country but also around the world. What are exactly the changes expected to happen once he is in charge and how are they going to affect us?
At a national level, these are the main affected sectors:
Economic and Financial Policies
Trump is expected to push for additional tax cuts, including reducing corporate taxes from the current 21% to possibly 15%, and lowering individual income tax rates for high earners. This could lead to larger deficits, impacting long-term funding for social programs like Medicare and Social Security.
Likely areas of deregulation include banking, where Trump could roll back Dodd-Frank reforms, allowing banks to take on more risk. In agriculture and industry, Trump might also remove environmental or labor regulations, potentially lowering costs for businesses but at the risk of worker protections and environmental quality.
His strategy might involve tariffs on Chinese goods, impacting electronics, textiles, and machinery imported from China. This could increase prices for American consumers and lead to retaliatory tariffs on U.S. exports, affecting farmers and manufacturers reliant on Chinese markets.
Domestic Governance and Judicial Appointments
Conservative judges would be appointed to the Supreme Court and there would be lower federal courts, creating a judiciary inclined to uphold conservative stances on abortion restrictions, gun rights, and states’ rights.
More agency staff would possibly be under direct presidential control, a move that could result in the firing or replacement of career civil servants in agencies like the DOJ, FBI, and EPA. This restructuring would likely favor agency heads and employees loyal to his administration’s goals, reducing independence within federal agencies.
Lastly, stricter voting regulations might lead to new laws requiring voter IDs and limiting mail-in ballots. These changes could affect voter turnout, particularly among minority and low-income communities, impacting election outcomes at state and federal levels.
Social Issues and Civil Rights
Trump suggested supporting a national abortion ban after 15 weeks, which would limit access to reproductive healthcare for millions, particularly in conservative states. Also, his administration previously used family separation as a deterrent. His re-election could see a return to this policy, potentially leading to increased numbers of families and children held in detention centers. Moreover, he consistently opposed Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and may seek to end protections for “Dreamers,” potentially impacting the legal status of around 600,000 young immigrants.
Past policies included banning transgender people from military service. A return could see attempts to allow businesses to deny services to LGBTQ+ individuals based on religious beliefs, affecting areas like employment, housing, and healthcare access.
Environmental and Energy Policies
As previously, the US might be withdrawn from the Paris Agreement, weakening international climate commitments. His administration could also cut funding for renewable energy programs, including solar and wind, in favor of expanding oil drilling and fracking.
“Energy dominance” might be achieved by expanding drilling in federal lands and waters, including the Arctic. This could result in rising carbon emissions, negatively impacting U.S. air and water quality, and exacerbating climate change effects.
Healthcare and Public Health
Trump has called for replacing the Affordable Care Act but has not provided a specific replacement plan. If he succeeds in dismantling it, around 20 million Americans could lose health insurance, leading to higher rates of uninsured individuals and increased pressure on emergency services and hospitals.
Trump’s criticism of agencies like the CDC could lead to reduced funding and influence for public health experts, impacting future responses to health crises and making the U.S. less prepared for pandemics.
Technology, Media, and Cybersecurity
Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act protects tech platforms from liability for user content. Changes to this law may perhaps force social media companies to alter how they moderate content, leading to more limited or more regulated user expression online.
Furthermore, his support for conservative media outlets can shift public reliance away from traditional news sources. This would increase the influence of platforms like Truth Social or OANN, impacting how Americans access and interpret news and information.
National Unity and Social Polarization
Trump’s rhetoric often appeals to a specific base, which may lead to heightened polarization among urban vs. rural, conservative vs. liberal, and racial or ethnic groups; more protests, counter-protests, and confrontations between political factions, possibly heading to public safety challenges.
Claims about “fake news” and “election fraud” have reduced trust in the electoral system and media. A second term could deepen this mistrust, with Americans increasingly questioning the legitimacy of elections, judiciary decisions, and federal agencies, which could destabilize democratic norms.
Education and Curriculum Standards
Trump has been vocal about removing what he calls “woke” ideologies from schools. His administration could push for more conservative curriculum standards, potentially restricting lessons on systemic racism, gender identity, and LGBTQ+ history. This could lead to lawsuits and increased politicization of educational content.
School choice initiatives might be expanded, pushing for vouchers that allow students to attend private or charter schools with public funding. While this could provide more educational options, it may divert resources from public schools, impacting their quality and equity, especially in low-income areas.
What are the possible consequences for international politics and economics?
Turning to the consequences of Trump’s second term for international politics and economics, some drastic changes can be anticipated based on Trump’s announcements and promises during his election campaign.
Tariffs and a return to protectionism
During his campaign, Donald Trump promised to increase U. S. tariffs on all goods imported from China to 60% and from all other countries to 10%. Once, he even threatened Mexico with 100% tariffs. These protectionist measures are aimed at domestic companies outsourcing parts of their business to other countries or foreign firms with a key market in the United States, in hopes of “bringing back” manufacturing to the country and growing the economy through a strong industrial landscape. International companies such as car manufacturers from other countries now worry about losing the U. S. as a crucial market in their segment and might need to fundamentally adjust their strategic plans for the future. Trump tariffs could spark trade wars with other industrial nations and raise consumer prices around the world, lowering the living standard for the middle and lower class in industrial market economies.
NATO-Skepticism and “stop the wars”
Governments and citizens around the globe are watching with chattering teeth what Trump’s exact plans are for NATO and its members. Some are even worried the United States will exit NATO altogether. Trump has previously stated he wouldn’t protect a NATO member against a Russian invasion if they don’t pay at least 2% of their GDP on defense, which jeopardizes the fundamental purpose and integrity of the alliance. Also, he has pledged to negotiate and settle the conflicts in Ukraine and Israel to stop the wars and achieve peace. Many fear this strategy will lead to advantageous outcomes for Russia and a detrimental result for Gaza and the Muslim population in and around Israel. Conversely, Trump has vowed to establish a military defense shield around the U. S. to protect it, should a third world war begin to escalate. This blatant approach to foreign policy could strengthen Russia in its imperialist undertakings, essentially showing how an invasion in contravention of international law can be pursued without punishment.
Immigrants facing discrimination and deportations
President-elect Trump has said he will pursue mass deportation during his presidency to counteract President Biden’s alleged laissez-faire immigration policy, that has led to millions of criminals from insane asylums storming the country, according to Donald Trump. Despite the refutation of these claims, a surge in deportations is projected to impact the construction, housing and agriculture industry negatively, which all depend on migrant workforce. Trump has also stated he would reinstate a travel ban that used to ban people from mostly Muslim countries from visiting the U. S. and extend it by refugees from Gaza. This could foster the global conflict between religions and islamophobia.
Conclusion
It has become evident how Donald Trump seeks to fundamentally reshape U. S. politics to provide more influence on himself and his allies, while embedding republican values and beliefs into law and everyday life. With his economic policy, Trump wants to reinstate the United States as the manufacturing powerhouse it once was, and abolish all factors inhibiting that dream, including social benefits or climate protection efforts. The same holds for foreign economic policy, where he resorts to pre-war mercantilism by applying heavy tariffs on foreign goods and exporting as much as possible. Regarding diplomacy, he outlines short-term resolutions to ongoing battles, likely to the delight of his voters, but might risk destabilizing global international politics altogether along the way. It is ultimately left to the individual to decide on whether the changes in tone in U. S. politics will have positive or negative consequences for one’s personal life, but it is safe to assume the second Trump presidency will test core democratic values and shake up the current global political agenda.
Disclaimer: It is important to note that Donald Trump has previously not delivered or changed his stance on numerous election campaign promises, signaling that the implications stated in this article might not come into effect in the very form Trump sketched them out during his rallies.
Sources: Brookings, Reuters, Cato Institute, The Heritage Foundation, Pew Research Center, The Atlantic, Council on Foreign Relations, The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Verge, Forbes, The Economist
Teresa Catita
Bent N. Eisheuer
theawarenessnews.com 