 "The White House. Reuters")
In America today, there seem to be two distinct realities. Walk through Washington, DC, and you’ll feel the palpable divide. On one side, Trump supporters are celebrating a victory they believe will restore America. On the other, many feel it signals the country’s decline. The middle ground? It’s hard to find as tensions run high across the nation.
In this divided atmosphere, Kamala Harris finally broke her silence. Initially slated to address supporters on election night, Harris cancelled her speech as Trump’s victory became clear. Her campaign explained they needed time to process the results. Returning to the site of her campaign at Howard University in DC, she addressed the crowd with resolve: ““This is not a time to throw up our hands. This is a time to roll up our sleeves (crowd cheers). This is a time to organise, to mobilise, and to stay engaged for the sake of freedom and justice and the future that we all know we can build together.”
Harris emphasised that true loyalty lies not with any single leader or party but with the Constitution, a principle she pledged to uphold. “In our nation, we owe loyalty not to a president or a party, but to the Constitution of the United States (crowd cheers). And loyalty to our conscience and to our God. My allegiance to all three is why I am here to say, while I concede this election, I do not concede the fight that fuelled this campaign.”
Meanwhile, in Florida, Trump spent his day basking in the victory at Mar-a-Lago, accepting congratulatory calls from world leaders, including Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, British Labour Party leader Keir Starmer, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron, among others. They expressed hopes for strengthened ties under his renewed leadership.
Both Harris and Biden also reached out to Trump to acknowledge the election results. Biden, in a symbolic gesture, invited him to the White House, and Harris urged him to be a president for all Americans. Trump responded with uncharacteristic grace, praising Harris’s strength and tenacity. In a display of the strange camaraderie that often follows fierce political battles, Harris and Trump found a rare moment of mutual respect. However, this brief exchange cannot bridge the deep rifts within American society.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsA divided America speaks out
Across the country, reactions to Trump’s win revealed the profound split in American public opinion. Some, like Morgan McGowan, a 17-year-old student from the University of Scranton, felt disillusioned. “I was very confident that Kamala and Walz would win. But I guess our country is more uneducated than I thought. And I honestly gave the people the amount of the doubt, which I guess I was wrong for,” she lamented.
Said a 72-year-old retired videographer from Tappan, New York, Ariel Skelley, “I’m from New York I’ve known this guy a long time. It’s crushing to see him back in this situation. I honestly don’t recognise my country.”
Others, like Karen Guerrero, a Miami-based Trump supporter, felt relief and optimism. I am at peace. I’m happy because now I see a future, I see that I can celebrate and I see that something good is going to happen in the next four years. And if God wants, eight more years with JD Vance," she said. Businesswoman Martha Llamar, a member of the Latinos for Trump coalition, expressed a similar sentiment, praising Trump’s accomplishments and challenging the common criticisms against him. “All his life he’s been building, in constructions and everything, he works with the people. And as an immigrant, I know a lot. He says he hates Mexicans. He says, he does this. But no. He hates criminals,” she said.
Outside of the United States, foreign governments are preparing for “Trump 2.0.” Leaders like South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol anticipate shifts in America’s foreign policy, particularly regarding North Korea. In Kyiv, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky congratulated Trump on his victory, noting the “absolutely convincing result” of the election. Meanwhile, Germany’s Chancellor Olaf Scholz reassured his nation that Germany would remain a reliable ally, though he acknowledged that “many things will certainly be different under a government led by Donald Trump.”
The legal cloud looming over Trump’s return
As Trump prepares to assume office, questions about his extensive legal entanglements loom large. With dozens of ongoing cases, including financial fraud, sexual abuse, and attempts to overturn the 2020 election, his legal troubles have raised unprecedented concerns. In New York, he faces a state lawsuit that resulted in a conviction. Unlike federal cases, Trump cannot use presidential powers to pardon himself for state crimes. While sentencing in that case is slated for later this month, it’s likely to be delayed given his new position.
If Trump faces gaol time, he may serve it only after leaving office. If given house arrest or community service, however, the logistics of confining a sitting president could create a legal quagmire without precedent.
Federal cases present a different dilemma. Special Counsel Jack Smith, currently overseeing federal investigations into Trump, has reportedly been preparing to conclude his work, aware that Trump intends to fire him upon taking office. The Department of Justice, which Trump will soon oversee, may pause its investigations, sparking concerns about the future of accountability for leaders facing significant legal challenges.
As president, Trump cannot be criminally prosecuted, but he remains vulnerable to civil lawsuits. Trump is already liable for over $570 million in pending civil suits. Whether he will use his office to delay or influence these cases remains to be seen, but one thing is certain: America is navigating uncharted legal and political territory.
An uncertain path forward
Trump’s leadership style, marked by unpredictability, will shape the nation’s path forward. With divisions still raw, Americans must face the reality of this new chapter. As the country grapples with unprecedented challenges, both Trump’s supporters and his detractors will have to ask difficult questions about unity, justice, and the kind of future they wish to build. The coming years will demand resilience, reflection, and, perhaps, a new understanding of what it means to be united as a nation.