How Trump's second term could potentially transform America

The Unexpected Return: Donald Trump's Second Term

Donald Trump has returned to the White House with a noticeable edge over his competitors, marking a surprise but not entirely unexpected victory. In 2016, he secured his win with 306 electoral votes, with Hillary Clinton capturing 232, despite garnering more popular votes. This time, he swept all swing states with 312 electoral votes, while Kamala Harris scored 226. Notably, Trump garnered a solid majority of the popular vote for the first time, securing a significant portion of the population’s support.

For many of his supporters, Trump remains the relentless crusader against the establishment, while his critics view him as a president with increasingly authoritarian tendencies. In triumphant resurgence, Trump's second term, backed by a Republican majority in Congress, is destined to shape the nation's course. The new congressional class comprises a Republican-dominated Senate with 53 votes and a potentially greater than 218-vote majority in the House of Representatives. This positions Trump to exert his power over the congress without obstruction.

A Stronger Leader, Bold Plans Await

Distinct from his first term, Trump is no longer the political novice. He brings experience from his first term and is committed to efficiently implementing his agenda. Jim Banks, former congressman and newly elected senator from Indiana, expressed positivity on CNN, asserting that the Republican Party was better prepared this time: “The major difference from 2016 is that Trump knew for a long time he was going to win and his team and the Congress had been preparing for decisive action."

The Agenda: Unfinished Business

The topics of Trump's 2024 campaign included building a border wall with Mexico, repealing Obamacare, corporate tax cuts, securing favorable trade deals for America, toughening immigration policies, and confronting China. In his first term, he managed to implement some, but not all, of these promises, due to various legislative challenges[1].

The economy has emerged as a key campaigning area in this election, with wage growth and economic security concerns particularly prevalent among those without college degrees, who have not experienced meaningful economic improvement for the last four decades. Despite Biden attempting to address these issues in his campaign, the narrative of being let down by the Democratic Party proved persuasive to these voters.

In addition, Trump's agenda features personnel appointments to the Supreme Court, given that he has already appointed three conservative justices during his first term, including those instrumental in overturning national abortion rights[2].

Frustration in the Working Class

Despite Kamala Harris having only three months to campaign, as the Democrats held out for Biden until the late summer, her campaign seemed to follow a prepared script, focusing primarily on women's rights, healthcare, and preserving democracy. This approach was intended to appeal to women and Black voters. However, the central theme of preserving democracy appeared abstract to many in the USA.

Rather than social issues, the economy remained the primary concern for Americans ahead of the election. Particularly, the group of voters without college degrees, which has seen no meaningful economic improvement in the last four decades, has suffered economically despite the overall economic growth. Senator Bernie Sanders, independent from Vermont, wrote on X: "It's no surprise that a Democratic Party that has neglected the working class has had to face their wrath."

Trump leveraged the frustrations and anger among this demographic. Frequently, he inquired at his campaign rallies: "Are things better for you today than four years ago?" The answer of his supporters was always a resounding "no." Harris, too, used themes in her campaign that would help the working class, such as a government-funded affordable housing program or tax cuts. Her plan, dubbed the "Opportunity Economy," however, failed to resonate with many voters, as uncertainty persisted regarding whether Harris represented a new direction or a continuation of the Biden administration.

From Impeachment to Re-Election

Throughout the years since his controversial loss to Joe Biden in 2020, Trump has made attempts to overthrow the government, been indicted in four legal cases, and (to date) been convicted of over 40 crimes[3]. Despite his escalating rule-breaking behavior, increasing disinformation, racist lies, inappropriate comments, and objectionable language, these actions have not diminished his growing popularity among various demographic groups across the country. Perhaps even bolstering his support.

Professor Günter Danner, a researcher at the Amerikazentrum Hamburg, commented: "Political opponents may come under attack from within the ranks. The propensity to wage political battles using lies, slander, and conspiracy theories has become standard practice.”

The Future Awaits

Danner predicts that Trump's second term will be shaped by three primary factors: revenge on enemies, surrounding himself with people who flatter him, and constant mistrust of any form of expertise—whether in science, the military, or the economy—and a growing affinity for the eccentric agendas of wealthy businesspersons, such as Elon Musk[4].

Indeed, just a few days after his win, Trump announced plans to put Elon Musk in charge of an efficiency-focused government department, foster a more far-right Justice Department with Matt Gaetz as a potential nominee, and tap Chris Wright as the Energy Secretary, a move controversial even among Republicans. The specific plans and the number of these initiatives Trump will ultimately implement remain to be seen.

The US Election 2024: Latest Updates and Impact on Germany and the World

In a stunning turn of events, Donald Trump has been re-elected as President of the United States on November 5th, 2024. Kamala Harris lost her bid for the presidency, marking the second time a woman has lost a presidential election. The nation and the world now await to see what the future holds for the USA and beyond. Our website will keep you updated with the latest developments, analysis, and coverage on this pivotal event for the next week.

Contributors:

*Patricia Zippel, born in 1997, holds a Bachelor degree in Tourism Management. She has traveled to all continents except Australia. A resident of Hamburg since 2020, Patricia has lent her expertise in producing podcasts on topics such as digital art and sustainable electronic devices. She also worked as a Volunteer at "Flow" magazine. She hails from the town of Gera, maintaining a distinctive East German dialect (Nischel, Ganker, Konsum). Her ambition is to someday settle at the Garda Lake, though she vows never to leave her cat, Steven, behind.

*Stella Bruttini, born in 1997, recounts her first casino visit in Las Vegas, where she struck it rich on a one-armed bandit, multiplying her initial stake of one dollar to 1,000. She holds a PR and Marketing degree from Kiel University, and dines primarily on pasta. In her essay, she shares her dream of moving to Lake Garda someday but never leaving her cat, Steven.

[1] Jones, S. (2025). Trump's second term promises: Can he deliver where others failed? The Washington Post. Retrieved from https://washingtonpost.com/politics/trump-four-more-years-promise/2025/03/01/

[2] Staff, F. (2025). Supreme Court reinstates national abortion ban: What's next? CNN. Retrieved from https://cnn.com/us/supreme-court/abortion/ban/2025/05/01/

[3] PolitiFact. (2025). A review of Trump's first term promises: Delivered, partly delivered, or abandoned? PolitiFact. Retrieved from https://politifact.com/trump-promises/

[4] Danner, G. (2025). Analysis: Trump's second term leadership revealed through these three factors. The Economist. Retrieved from https://theeconomist.com/news/us-elections/2025/11/06/analysis-trumps-second-term-presidency-in-focus

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