This Week in Explainers: Why America might see a liberal exodus after Trump’s win

Donald Trump is the newsmaker of the week… the month… the year. After a dramatic election campaign that included Joe Biden dropping out, failed assassination attempts on the Republican candidate and whatnot, America made a decision. It picked Trump over Vice President Kamala Harris.

While pollsters predicted a close contest, the former president defied it all to make a comeback to the White House. It’s not the popular vote (which he won anyway) that decides the presidency but the Electoral College. Trump is projected by the US media to have secured 295 of the 538 electoral votes; it takes 270 to win.

Harris has conceded the race; US President Joe Biden in a speech on Thursday (November 7) has called for a peaceful transfer.

Meanwhile, Trump has already gotten to work. While he will remain president-elect until January 20, he has made the first appointment picking a woman White House chief of state in a historic first.

In our weekly wrap, we explain the US election results and their impact on the US, India, and the world.

1. Donald Trump has stormed to power in the United States. For days, pollsters said that the election would be neck and neck. But when counting began, Trump started surging ahead and there was no looking back. Fox News was the first to call the election; soon other US media houses followed.

At 78, he is the oldest president to be elected. He is only the second to lose re-election to the White House and then make a comeback (Grover Cleveland is the first). Here’s how Trump scripted history.

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2. After Joe Biden dropped out of the race, there was a lot of optimism among Democrats. From celebrities to donors, everyone but their weight behind Kamala Harris. There was joy, cheer and laughter. But it all waned and disappeared as votes were counted on election night.

The vice president could not convince Americans that she deserved to be in the White House. What went wrong for Harris and her campaign, which appeared so promising? We analyse.

3. The US election system is complex. You could lose the popular vote but still win an election. It’s what happened to Donald Trump in 2016 when Hillary Clinton won the popular vote but lost the election.

However, the 2024 presidential race turned out to be different. Trump bagged both the Electoral College and the popular vote. He is the first Republican in 20 years to do so. But what’s the popular vote? And how did Trump pull off this feat?

4. Trump is not yet the “official” 47th president of the United States. He is president-elect and will continue to until next year – the noon of January 20, to be precise. He will take charge only after he is sworn in. But why is there a gap of 11-odd weeks? This explainer has the answers.

5. One of the first leaders to congratulate Donald Trump was Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The PM called the president-elect his friend. They have shared a bond in the past. But will Trump remember this friendship when it comes to dealing with India?

While campaigning, the Republican politician spoke about tariffs. But will he slap them on India? Will New Delhi benefit from the Trump presidency? We explain.

6. The job of the US president is one of the most important in the world. It’s also the most powerful one. We are in the middle of two wars – the Russia-Ukraine and Israel-Hamas conflict. While a Trump victory is making many Ukrainians worried, Israelis seem more assured. Here’s why.

7. In American politics, families play their part. When Donald Trump made his victory speech, declaring himself as the next US president, his family shared the stage with him. There was his wife Melania, daughter Ivanka, son Barron and more. Say hello to the soon-to-be First Family of America.

8. We’ve spoken a hell lot about Trump. Now let’s talk about his running mate JD Vance. The vice-president-elect has an India connection. His wife Usha Vance traces her roots to a village in Andhra Pradesh. But that’s not all.

9. Trump’s return to power has American liberals spooked. There is a rise in the sale of dystopian novels like ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ and ‘1984’. Several Americans including Hollywood celebs are googling how to leave the country. Some women are swearing off sex, inspired by South Korea’s fringe 4B movement. Our stories delve into the Trump effect.

10. US presidents can serve for only two terms. This will be Donald Trump’s second. But can he change the law and run again? We explain.

That’s all on the American elections this week. Our long reading list should have you covered. Happy reading and have a good weekend.

PS: If you have had enough of Trump, here’s one of our most-read explainers of the week. It’s about a sex tape scandal in Equitoral Guinea. Who would have thunk?