On 5 th November 2024, Donald Trump claimed his second presidential victory after
securing 312 electoral votes, sweeping all seven swing states. In her concession
speech, Kamala Harris stated “My heart is full today, full of gratitude for the trust you
have placed in me, full of love for our country, and full of resolve.”, but the feeling for
democrats in the U.S., and left-leaning citizens globally, was far from patriotic, and
rather hopeless in tone, with former Democratic Representative Barbara Lee likening
coming to terms with the loss to “the five stages of grief” in a New York Times article.
Trump’s victory raises serious concerns for marginalized identities both in the U.S.
and abroad.
During his first presidential term, Donald Trump had a direct impact on the Supreme
Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade – an impact he has proudly accepted
throughout his campaign. Now, two years after it was overturned and after his refusal
to take a firm stand-point during a presidential debate with Kamala Harris in
September, Trump has stated that the federal ban is enough, writing on social media
that he “would not support a federal abortion ban, under any circumstances, and
would, in fact, veto it, because it is up to the states to decide based on the will of
their voters”. The issue of women’s reproductive rights appeared less of a concern to
Republicans during Trump’s second campaign (while Kamala Harris’ campaign
discussed it in depth), yet the recently elected President has introduced other ways
to oppress marginalised identities within the U.S. and beyond.
In addition, Trump’s administration has had much to say on issues of DEI,
LGBTQIA+ and Civil Rights. The President calls for less emphasis on diversity and
reduction of legal protections for LGBTQ+ – and particularly transgender – citizens.
According to an article detailing his policies in Associated Press, Trump has called
for ending DEI programmes in government institutions and has promised to end
“boys in girls’ sports” – a practice which he, with no evidence, insists is a real issue.
Trump’s administration offers a terrifying situation for transgender American’s,
following positive progress made during Biden’s term. In May, Trump stated on a
conservative podcast – Kayal & Company – that he would remove the Title IX
extension, stating that “We’re gonna change it on day one.” Further to this, Trump
has stated that he would ask Congress to pass a bill stating there are “only two
genders”, and to ban hormonal or surgical intervention for transgender youth in all 50
states, according to The Independent. Following his win, ABC News reported that
transgender teens had been flooding crisis hotlines, stating that the Rainbow Youth
Project “The group that serves LGBTQ+ young people has received more than 5,500
calls to its crisis hotline in the past 10 days, up from the 3,700 calls it typically gets
every month.”
Ultimately, Trump’s administration is fuelled by transphobia, leading to transgender
people within the U.S. feeling both underrepresented and unsafe. Issues of
transphobia are global, with similar anti-trans sentiments being present within the UK
political landscape. Pink News summarises Labour’s view on Trans-rights as at least
shaky, and at most actively harmful, noting Starmer’s discussion of banning schools
from teaching children about trans identities as an example.
The normalisation of Anti-Trans sentiments resulting from Donald Trump’s promises
is mirrored (albeit to a lesser extent) in Starmer’s refusal to demonstrate a fixed
position in the issue and raises concerns as to how governments across the world
will tackle Trans-rights, and whether they will respect their basic human rights.
Trump’s focus on DEI extends to his stated policies on education. In a video posted
on his website in July 2024, the now-President stated that he will impose standards
on the American education system, including “removing all Marxist diversity, equity,
and inclusion bureaucrats” and stated that the “secret weapon” will be college
accreditation. Trump promised to put stricter guidelines on education aligning with
his own political ideologies – stating he would “pursue federal civil rights cases
against […] schools that persist in explicit unlawful discrimination under the guise of
equity”, referring to schools and systems put in place to ensure students who are
systemically disadvantaged due to race, social class and gender are allowed the
same access to education as their white, wealthy, male counterparts. This directly
impacts marginalised communities within the U.S. and, given the influence of the
States on international politics and the media, it poses the question – will any other
governments follow suit?
As with his 2016 campaign – and the “Build the wall!” rhetoric he introduced –
Trump’s administration is continuously concerned with issues of immigration. In
2024, Trump has moved from discussions of the wall to an elusive program which he
states he will ensure is targeted solely on illegal immigrants, without stating how. The
system would greatly diminish immigration to the US through introducing methods
such as “ideological screening” for potential immigrants, ending birth-right
citizenship, limiting (and in some cases banning) entrants from certain majority-
Muslim nations and limiting migrants on public health grounds. The suggested
details would have a direct impact on families already living in the U.S. depending on
their status, and with very little care for individual circumstances, and through
focusing on public health would ultimately negatively impact those with health issues
and disabilities. Given the nature of immigration, it would also have a direct impact
on individuals seeking to move to the U.S. for study, work, and – at worst – solace
from dangerous situations.
As demonstrated during his previous term in office, the President will have an
undeniable impact on issues of National defence, the role of America and its
relationship with other countries. Trump has pledged expansion of the military and
made strong claims that he can end Russia’s War in Ukraine (stating last year that
he could solve the issue in one day) and solve the conflict between Israel-Hamas.
Trump has expressed strong support for Israel stating that America “will fight with
Israel.” It is important to note here that Democratic leader Kamala Harris did not
express support for Palestine in her campaign, still focusing loyalty on Israel while
acknowledging the effects on Gaza as “devastating”. As of 14 th November 2024, Al
Jazeera states that the latest death toll in the Israel-Gaza war is 44,493 Palestinians
dead, and 1,139 people in Israel. Trump’s approach presents a complete lack of
sympathy for Gaza, despite statistics clearly demonstrating a dire need for
humanitarian aid.
In terms of foreign policy, Trump has also expressed anti-NATO sentiments, with
frequent threats to leave and suggestions that he would not be fully involved or
protective of allied countries that do not reach the proposed spending target, stating
at a February campaign rally that he would let Russia “do whatever the hell they
want” to NATO countries that do not reach the target. Trump’s attitudes towards
foreign policy are incredibly harmful, as he ignores the U.S.’ position as an ally and
resulting in global uncertainty, while doing little to help citizens in areas ravaged by
conflict.
Donald Trump’s return to the White House has sparked concerns for marginalised
groups and human rights both domestically and globally. His administration’s policies
on DEI, LGBTQIA+ protections, and immigration signal potential rollbacks of civil
rights, with transgender people, immigrants, and other marginalised identities facing
increased vulnerability. Internationally, Trump’s hardline stance on NATO, his
selective approach to conflicts like Ukraine-Russia, and his unwavering support for
Israel at the expense of Gaza fuel global uncertainty, hinting at a U.S. foreign policy
that may deprioritise allied support and humanitarian aid. This victory signals a
challenging era ahead, as Trump’s policies could embolden similar actions
worldwide, affecting human rights protections and leaving marginalised communities
to navigate an increasingly oppressive environment.