It has been over three months since Donald Trump was elected the 47th president of the United States, triumphing over the incumbent vice president, Kamala Harris, in a decisive victory last November.
A presidential election in the US isn’t merely a nationwide referendum; it’s composed of 51 distinct contests. Each state, along with the District of Columbia, plays a proportional role in selecting the president based on its population. Candidates are required to secure victories in individual states. Some states consistently lean towards the Democratic Party, while others are firmly Republican. However, certain states are more unpredictable, earning the label of swing states, which often play a crucial role in the overall election outcome.
President Trump secured victories in all seven swing states for 2024, flipping a few from blue (Democrat) to red, resulting in a sweeping win. This achievement marked him as only the second individual in US history to win non-consecutive terms in the presidency.
Trump accomplished this amidst various court cases across different jurisdictions, a highly antagonistic media landscape, and even a close attempt on his life as he returned to the White House. His approval ratings in the initial weeks following his inauguration on January 20 reached unprecedented highs.
The international media was left puzzled. How did this bold, abrasive figure manage to win the support of over 77 million Americans? The explanation is more straightforward than it may appear.
Throughout the 2024 election cycle, surveys consistently highlighted the same key issues that concerned American citizens the most. In each of these areas, the public assigned failing grades to the Biden/Harris administration. In fact, Trump’s previous four years in office had shown greater success in several important domains compared to the Democratic leadership.
The economy was by far the most pressing concern for most Americans. Thanks to President Joe Biden’s policies and limited diplomatic skills, citizens faced high inflation and escalating interest rates. Fuel prices surged under Biden’s administration, and since trucks rely on fuel, the costs of transporting essential goods, like groceries and medications, soared.
Basic food products, such as eggs, saw their prices double. When families struggle with grocery bills, medical expenses, and gas prices, it’s only natural for them to seek change. For young families burdened by high-interest rates making home purchases impossible, a desire for a different approach emerges. Trump, who had a superior economic track record as president until COVID-19 hit, promised a return to better days.
The open border with Mexico emerged as the second highest priority for Americans in nearly every poll. On his first day in office, Biden reversed numerous border policies and projects implemented by Trump during his first term. The outcome was catastrophic. Although Harris was dubbed “border tsar”, she didn’t visit the border until she became her party’s presidential candidate nearly four years later. Biden himself simply shrugged and stated, “We’re doing all we can.”
According to US Customs and Border Protection (CBP), in April 2020, while Trump was still president, illegal border crossings amounted to just over 16,000. However, by 2022, just one year into Biden’s presidency, monthly figures consistently surpassed 200,000, with April seeing 235,000 apprehended individuals attempting to cross illegally. The peak occurrence was in December 2023, when CBP reported 250,000 illegal crossings in a single month.
In stark contrast, during the first full month of Trump 2.0, CBP recorded merely 8,450 apprehensions of migrants attempting unauthorized entry along the US-Mexico border. This marked the lowest recorded number since the maintenance of statistics and represented a 97 percent decrease from the peak of 250,000. This is a clear sign of success, illustrating that simply enforcing existing laws and allowing border patrol agents to do their jobs is effective.
A third major concern among Americans in 2024 was the conflict in Gaza. Leading up to the election, Trump emphasized the importance of peace in the region, promising a ceasefire would be established even before his official inauguration.
Biden’s administration lacked any meaningful diplomatic relationships with the Arab community, and the Netanyahu government held Biden in contempt, given that his campaign team had previously worked to unseat Netanyahu. In essence, Biden had no negotiating power with either side in the conflict.
After winning the election, Trump prioritized the situation in Gaza. He appointed a team, led by Steve Witkoff, to negotiate ceasefire terms with Egypt and Qatar. Witkoff earned praise from all negotiation parties and successfully brokered a ceasefire within weeks. While complexities remain in Israeli-Arab relations, for the first time in 15 months, fatalities ceased. Trump honored his commitment.
Having only been back in the White House for a few weeks, Trump has already delivered on several major pledges and is actively pursuing others.
Although the future of Gaza remains uncertain, the ceasefire is still in effect.
The US border is now more secure than it has ever been.
Trump’s energy and environmental strategies are expected to positively influence both the US and global economies within months, projecting lower prices and greater stability.
The Trump administration is also addressing other pressing concerns, including peace in Ukraine, ensuring the safety of astronauts at the International Space Station, and reducing government size by eliminating waste, fraud, and abuse. Each of these goals is challenging, making it difficult for even Trump’s harshest critics to oppose them. Does anyone desire additional conflict between Russia and Ukraine? Is there anyone who supports government waste and corruption? Certainly not.
Some Americans, along with a segment of the global population, are appalled by Trump’s brash and loud demeanor. However, if they take the time to look beyond the surface and objectively evaluate the outcomes — including peace, security, stability, and prosperity — they will come to recognize that both the US and the world require Trump at this critical juncture.
The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeera’s editorial stance.
