Donald Trump wins the election: An unprecedented comeback
Against all odds and with a pending legal conviction, Donald Trump has been re-elected President of the United States. His return to the White House has raised concerns about women's rights, immigration policies, and climate policy, both in the United States and globally.
Barcelona, November 7, 2024 - Trump was convicted on May 30 on 34 counts of falsifying business records, related to a $130,000 payment to adult film actress Stormy Daniels to hush up an alleged sexual encounter that occurred a decade earlier. Despite these charges, and the threat of a pending prison sentence, the former president managed to beat Vice President Kamala Harris in a race marked by debates about democracy, civil rights, and the integrity of political leaders. Trump will return to the White House in January 2025.
A constitutional paradox: Can an imprisoned president govern?
The U.S. Constitution, written in the 18th century, did not envision a situation in which an elected president could be convicted of serious crimes. There is no provision barring a convicted felon from assuming the presidency, leading constitutional experts to discuss a possible scenario in which Trump could govern from prison.
Judge Juan Merchán, who is in charge of Trump’s case, opted to postpone sentencing until after the November 5 election, allowing citizens to vote without the influence of an imminent conviction. This situation creates legal and political uncertainty that raises questions about the president’s ability to carry out his duties while serving a possible sentence.
The impact on women's rights and gender equality
Trump's return to the White House threatens to trigger a significant rollback of women's rights, especially on issues of reproductive health and access to abortion. During his first term, Trump contributed to the reversal of Roe v. Wade, a landmark 1973 ruling that protected the right to abortion at the federal level. The reversal of this ruling in 2022 gave way to a wave of restrictive laws in several states, many of which prohibit abortion after six weeks of gestation and with no exceptions for cases of rape or incest. This legal framework has been criticized by both human rights organizations and health professionals, who warn of the dangers for women who will not be able to access adequate medical services.
Trump has expressed support for these restrictive measures and is expected to push for additional policies in his second term that limit abortion access and strengthen conservative laws around reproductive health. Trump’s return to power could consolidate the influence of restrictive legislation in other nations, particularly those countries with growing anti-abortion movements. The “global gag rule,” which during his first term prohibited foreign NGOs from using U.S. funds to promote or perform abortion services, could be reinstated, limiting the ability of many organizations to offer family planning counseling and services in developing countries.
Gender violence and LGBTQIA+ rights
Trump’s attitudes and statements toward women have been controversial since his early campaigns. In 2016, a recording was leaked in which he bragged about kissing and touching women without their consent, comments that caused outrage and concern among women’s rights advocates. In addition, Trump has been accused by more than 26 women of sexual misconduct, including assault. In May 2023, he was found liable in a sexual abuse case against columnist E. Jean Carroll. The lack of significant consequences for Trump in these cases sends a troubling message to movements against gender-based violence.
His stance on LGBTQIA+ rights has also been cause for alarm. During his first term, he promoted policies that discriminated against transgender people, including restrictions on access to gender-affirming health services. For this second administration, Trump has proposed eliminating protections against discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity, which could be a major setback for the LGBTQIA+ community in the United States.
Immigration: An uncertain future for migrants
Immigration policies were a central theme of Trump’s campaign, as he explicitly called for “mass deportations now” and promised to drastically tighten immigration policies. Since his first term, Trump has implemented policies that have tightened conditions for migrants and refugees at the southern border, as well as limiting the rights of undocumented immigrants. During his recent campaign, he reiterated his intention to build more sections of the wall on the border with Mexico and to carry out raids to deport thousands of undocumented people.
Trump’s immigration rhetoric, often laden with derogatory terms, has raised fears among migrant communities in the United States. Trump has blamed migrants for the “crisis at the border” and warned that Kamala Harris had allowed “migrant criminals” into the country. Such statements, seen by critics as hate speech, are raising tension and fear in Latino and other minority communities, which now face the threat of an administration that could adopt even more restrictive and punitive policies.
Climate change: A presidency against scientific evidence
The environmental impact of a second Trump administration could be devastating for progress in combating climate change. In his first term, Trump abandoned the Paris Agreement, downplayed the climate crisis, and eliminated various regulations that protected the environment. The Trump administration showed a clear preference for fossil fuel industries, denying climate change as an urgent threat to the country and the world.
During his recent campaign, Trump made few comments on climate change, raising concerns in the scientific community and among environmental activists. There are fears that, upon returning to power, he will again withdraw the United States from the Paris Agreement and eliminate funding commitments intended to help developing countries in their fight against climate change. This stance could hamper global efforts to reduce carbon emissions and limit global warming, especially if other international leaders follow his example.
Climate change is one of the main topics to be discussed at the upcoming UN summit in Azerbaijan. However, Trump's lack of commitment and refusal to acknowledge climate science threatens to weaken the impact of these multilateral meetings and ultimately jeopardize the effectiveness of global climate policies.
Global reactions and consequences
Donald Trump's return to power has sparked a mixed reaction internationally. While some conservative leaders see his re-election as a validation of more restrictive policies, progressive governments and human rights organizations are expressing concern about the impact his policies could have beyond U.S. borders.
In Europe, Trump’s victory is being viewed with concern, especially in countries such as Germany and France, where there are fears that his skeptical stance towards the European Union and NATO could erode diplomatic relations. European leaders are also concerned about the potential domino effect of his policies on women’s rights, migration, and climate change, given the impact his first administration already had on the global human rights agenda.
In Latin America, where migration and U.S. influence on human rights policies are sensitive, Trump's reelection represents a challenge. Governments in the region could be pressured to toughen their migration policies and reconsider their approach to gender equality and reproductive rights issues to align with U.S. policy or avoid diplomatic conflicts.
On the other hand, international organizations such as the United Nations and the World Health Organization could see their efforts hampered on critical issues such as climate change, reproductive health, and human rights. Trump's influence on the world stage could even inspire other leaders with nationalist and conservative agendas, creating a chain reaction in which individual rights and freedoms are weakened.
Donald Trump's re-election raises serious questions and fears about the future of civil rights, immigration policy, and the global response to climate change. The coming years will mark a crucial moment for the United States and the international community, which will have to face the repercussions of an administration that, according to its critics, represents a regression in rights and a challenge to environmental commitments.
Comments