Sangbad Voice 9, New Delhi: Donald Trump has ascended to the presidency of the United States once more, decisively vanquishing his Democratic rival, Vice-President Kamala Harris, in a fiercely contested electoral battle.
Throughout his campaign, Trump remained steadfast in his 'America First' doctrine, characterized by a vehemently anti-immigration posture domestically and a foreign policy that trade and international relations experts have characterized as both protectionist and isolationist. The ramifications of Trump's immigration, trade, and foreign policies are poised to reverberate through the corridors of power in India. While this analysis is not exhaustive, we delineate the implications of Trump's return to Washington, D.C. into two overarching advantages and two significant drawbacks for New Delhi.
The US-India Comprehensive Global and Strategic Partnership, recently invigorated by shared apprehensions regarding an increasingly assertive China, enjoys robust bipartisan endorsement in the United States. Analysts and media discourse suggest that a deviation from the current trajectory of this partnership is unlikely in the near term. The burgeoning defense collaboration fostered under this alliance is also expected to remain resilient in the wake of Trump's electoral victory.
Harris and her Democratic compatriots endeavored to shift rightward on immigration by proposing a draconian immigration statute, subsequently lambasting Republicans for their opposition throughout the campaign. Moreover, Harris frequently highlighted her endorsement from Republican Liz Cheney, even orchestrating a rally together in Ripon, Wisconsin, a locale steeped in the history of the Republican Party.
These strategic maneuvers, however, proved largely ineffectual, as Harris failed to garner support from Republican or independent voters. In traditionally Republican strongholds, such as the suburbs of Milwaukee—prime targets for her campaign—Harris lagged behind Biden’s 2020 performance in Washington and Ozaukee counties.
In Bucks County, Pennsylvania, a focal point for Harris, Trump secured a victory by a margin of 3 percentage points, contrasting sharply with Biden's +4 advantage in 2020.
The former president not only surpassed his previous electoral performance in a losing effort four years prior but also reclaimed Georgia and Pennsylvania for the GOP while maintaining North Carolina—states that Democrats had earmarked as critical to the vice president’s aspirations for the White House.
Trump's campaign was marked by incendiary, authoritarian rhetoric and unfounded assertions that American towns and cities were under siege from foreign criminals and gangs. Yet, he also tapped into a palpable yearning for transformation among Americans grappling with the lingering repercussions of a now-diminished period of high inflation. He cautioned that only he possessed the fortitude to avert a descent into World War III amidst escalating foreign crises.
