The 2024 election has officially come to an end. Donald J. Trump will be inaugurated as the next president in January 2025. The Republican Party won not only the presidency but the House and Senate as well as winning the majority vote. Here’s what the next four years will look like in America policy-wise and what students have to say about it.
Trump’s victory is viewed by many as one of the most remarkable political comebacks in modern history. After losing to Joe Biden in 2020, Trump remained an influential figure within the Republican Party, positioning himself as the voice of the conservative base. Despite facing multiple legal challenges, including investigations into his business dealings and involvement in the January 6th Capitol riot, he maintained a loyal following that believed he was the best candidate to address America’s growing concerns over economic instability, immigration, and national security.
Throughout the campaign, Trump capitalized on his strong brand of populism, focusing on the issues that resonated most with his base: a tough stance on immigration, deregulation, a robust “America First” foreign policy, and promises to reinvigorate American manufacturing. His rallies were attended in masses, drawing large crowds of supporters who see him as a defender of traditional American values.
Trump’s campaign was, as expected, highly unconventional. His blunt rhetoric and controversial positions on a range of issues ensured that he remained a polarizing figure. For his supporters, he represented a necessary disruption to the political establishment, while for his critics, his actions and words continued to spark outrage. But in the end, it was Trump’s ability to galvanize voters and navigate the divided political landscape that ultimately carried him to victory.
Connecticut, despite being a Democrat-majority state, holds diverse opinions and perspectives regarding Trump’s policies. Out of the electoral votes, 270 is needed to win; Trump exceeded Harris by 312 to 226. CT has 7 electoral votes, Harris won all of them[1]. Trump’s economic plan, as well as his policies on education, climate change, women’s rights (specifically abortion), and gay/trans rights, have been the main points of interest regarding students at Morgan.
Economic Policy:
Trump has promised to extend and expand the 2017 tax cuts, including corporate tax reductions and exemptions for certain income types. This would likely boost business sentiment and could accelerate economic growth, though the specifics depend on Congressional dynamics. Another key part of Trump’s economic plan is to impose broad tariffs on imports, particularly from China, which could potentially increase inflation and consumer costs. While the administration argues that tariffs would encourage domestic manufacturing, many economists remain skeptical about the effectiveness of this strategy. Junior AJ Brown expressed his support for Trump’s economic plans saying, “I feel great about it, I’ll be able to afford gas, groceries, and everything in between”. However, Junior Vivian Nguyen had doubts about these policies, saying, “his tariff policy is pretty stupid seeing as consumers will only be paying more for products which are just going to make inflation increase and corporations are just going to price gouge even more.”
Human Rights Policies:
During Trump’s years in office, his administration has committed acts and signed orders that some may consider a violation of human rights. Some of these include the separation of migrant children from their families[2], ending Obama’s mandate to require US intelligence to publicly disclose the number of civilians killed in US airstrikes[3], and denying refugees asylum from war-torn nations[4]. Sophomore Hernika Singh disapproved of Trump’s human rights policies saying, “Kamala Harris is a better candidate due to her human rights policies and democratic policies”. Senior Meadow Capacoda also questioned Trump’s business incentive being prioritized before human rights saying “economics and human rights are two totally different things, and he has different views on each of them. It’s hard to have a president that’s only fair with one. He has good economic [policies] but doesn’t care about human rights, which I don’t agree with.”
Women’s Rights:
After the overturning of Roe v Wade by the Supreme Court in 2022, the fight for abortion rights has been a driving factor in this election. 53% of women voted for Harris whereas 55% of men voted for Trump, the polarization of gender being evident[5]. Feminists agree that Trump’s policies regarding reproductive rights as well as his rhetoric towards women are misogynistic. His status as a convicted sexual offender fortifies this. In Agenda 47, Trump’s main plan for the next four years, the only mention of women at all is the statement, “Keep men out of women’s sports”. He has recently announced support for pro-choice women claiming he is “great for women and their reproductive rights” even though he nominated the Supreme Court justices that overruled Roe v Wade[6][7]. Trump announced that he will protect abortion rights by vetoing a national ban on abortions if it ever gets passed to him (claiming it’s the decision of the state) after saying he supports exceptions to abortions in the case of rape, incest, and death of the mother[8]. Senior Demani Howard is extremely against Trump’s policies on women’s rights saying, “I can’t believe America would elect such a hateful, lying, vindictive politician who has his own interests [that are] apart from the country’s interests. Like how women are not going to be given a choice over their own bodies, there have been many complications due to the lack of abortion and health care [for pregnant women]. His side wants to get rid of birth control and contraceptives, and it doesn’t make any sense,”. However, freshman Seth Rodgers who expressed excitement for Trump’s reelection said, “I hope Roe v Wade stays overturned in those states because I know if Kamala won the abortion situation would be much different”.
Gay and Trans Rights:
Another public concern is Trump’s policies on gay marriage and trans rights. During his presidency, much work was put into erasing protection for LGBTQ+ individuals and removing anti-discrimination policies[9]. Agenda 47 plans to cut federal funding for schools that teach LGBTQ+ history and gender ideology and many of Trump’s appointed policymakers are outwardly against gay marriage. Junior Addison Bannon-Molthu expressed fear for Trump’s policies regarding gay marriage saying, “The last time Trump won I was scared, I was really young. I come from a family with two moms, and I don’t think he has people like my family in mind”. Junior Eli Barden also said, “As a gay person it really upsets me that people are still like that in 2024, I am directly affected by that.”
Climate Change Policy:
Climate change may be the biggest concern the younger generation has due to the lack of coherent policies from certain candidates, especially ones who pass it off as a hoax or prioritize industrial manufacturing (which produces heavy amounts of CO2) over the health of our planet. During Biden’s presidency, many regulations were created to stop the production of greenhouse gases. These were the biggest steps the United States government has taken in combating climate change. Trump has said that he wants to get rid of these regulations started by the Biden Administration, including the repeal of the Inflation Reduction Act, Biden’s law that reduced the federal government budget deficit, lowered prescription drug costs, and most importantly: invested in domestic energy production while also promoting clean energy[10]. Before the 2016 Election, he claimed climate change was a hoax and more recently claimed that the effects that scientists often stress are just “weather” events that have always been changing[11][12]. The Trump administration is heavily supportive of fracking, Agenda 47 proposes to turn the US into a manufacturing superpower. This raises environmental concerns, especially with the clear and blatant effects of climate change. Junior Eric Chen believes this is a key problem that politicians need to address better saying “The Sahara Desert is flooding, it snowed in Saudi Arabia, it’s not natural. Even right now it’s almost winter and it’s 70 degrees. I feel like they should have acknowledged climate change a long time ago.
As the U.S. moves forward under Trump’s leadership, the full impact of his policies will unfold over time, and it remains to be seen how they will interact with global economic trends, technological advancements, and shifting political realities. A second Trump presidency would be characterized by intensified political polarization and contentious battles over key issues. While his supporters argue that his policies would restore American strength and return the country to a more prosperous and traditional path, critics warn that the consequences could be far-reaching, particularly in terms of social justice, environmental sustainability, and global cooperation. The next four years would likely test the resilience of American democracy and institutions as the country navigates the profound challenges posed by both domestic and international forces.
