Trump's Re-election: A Burden of Experience and Support

Donald Trump, with a stunning victory in the 2024 United States elections, has once again reached the presidency. Unlike his 2016 campaign and his first term, Mr. Trump is no longer a stranger to politics; he enters the White House for a second time with a wealth of experience and support. The results in the pivotal swing states, coinciding with the wars in Ukraine and Gaza, played a significant role in Donald Trump's victory, who began his campaign with a desire for revenge to return to the White House. Mr. Trump overcame internal divisions within the Republican Party, legal cases from his first presidency from 2017 to 2021, and an assassination attempt. He also managed to defeat the Democratic Party's campaign, which had gained new life after Joe Biden withdrew from the race and was replaced by Kamala Harris. At 78, Mr. Trump will be the oldest president in U.S. history. Joe Biden, who defeated Donald Trump in the 2020 elections, was 77 at that time. Donald Trump's presidency will officially begin on January 20, 2025, making him the 45th and 47th president of the United States. Before him, only Grover Cleveland was elected in two non-consecutive terms about 130 years ago. Mr. Trump is the only U.S. president to be impeached twice in Congress and has been convicted of fraud and falsifying financial documents in court. He still faces two other legal cases based on charges from the special prosecutor of the U.S. Department of Justice; one related to his involvement in obstructing the lawful and peaceful transfer of power after the 2020 presidential election and the other concerning exerting influence and pressure on state officials to change the voting results in Georgia. Another case regarding the illegal retention of classified government documents against him was dismissed by U.S. courts in July. Donald Trump began his fourth campaign with significant experience and support. Many of his staunch supporters still back him for not accepting Joe Biden's victory in the previous presidential election, his fierce verbal attacks on his opponents, and his claims of being a 'victim of political persecution.' Most polls before the election indicated that a larger percentage of voters viewed Mr. Trump as the more suitable candidate on critical issues such as immigration and rising housing and essential goods costs. During his campaign, Donald Trump presented himself as the best candidate to solve America's fundamental problems, which he claimed were under siege by immigrants, stuck domestically, weakened abroad, and led by a 'deep state' of unknown officials and bureaucrats. In the 2016 campaign, with the slogan 'Make America Great Again,' he captured voters' attention by promising better trade agreements and increased military funding to strengthen America's position worldwide. Trump's return raises questions about whether it signifies the downfall of the Islamic Republic. Additionally, he showcased his financial position as a successful real estate investor in New York, claiming he is not beholden to the small circle of policymakers in Washington and has a unique capability for negotiating and swiftly resolving issues. Many voters view Donald Trump, the owner of luxury real estate often adorned with his name and known for the memorable phrase 'You're fired' from his reality TV show, as someone capable of 'draining the swamp,' a metaphor for reducing government size and combating financial corruption in Washington. In the 2024 election race, Donald Trump was no longer seen as a political outsider but as a politician who had overcome numerous challenges and proven to be a decisive leader on the international stage. In the seven swing states that determined the election, most voters considered Donald Trump the best candidate to lead America amid ongoing wars in Ukraine and Gaza. During his first presidency, Trump unilaterally withdrew the U.S. from the Iran nuclear deal known as the 'JCPOA' and initiated a trade war with China. He withdrew the U.S. from other international treaties that he believed were not in the country's interest and pressured other NATO members to increase military budgets and financial contributions to the alliance. His pressures were effective, and most NATO members complied. In one of his most controversial actions, Trump's administration negotiated a complete withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan with the Taliban. American forces hastily exited Afghanistan in the summer of 2021, allowing the Taliban to return to power after two decades. Critics of Trump described this agreement as facilitating the Taliban's return to power, but he accused the Biden administration of mismanaging the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, claiming this weakness was one of the factors emboldening Russia and its military invasion of Ukraine. During his first term, Trump attempted to change U.S.-Russia relations. While improving his relations with Vladimir Putin, he also enacted a series of punitive measures and sanctions against Russia. Trump has repeatedly claimed that his relationship with Vladimir Putin could help end the war in Ukraine.