Omkar Dattatray
Donald Trump created a history by winning the presidential election in the biggest and powerful democracy of the globe-USA, second time after a pause /gap of four years .Trump became victorious by defeating his nearest rival Kamla Devi Harris who is of Indian origin .She is the vice-president of America Trump has a phoenix rise from ashes and he will revive the super power’s waning and vexing image of Donald Trump completed a stunning comeback ,scripting history by winning the US Presidential Elections after having been ousted from the White House in 2020.Trump’s victory over Vice-President Kamla Harris was swift ,decisive and indeed emphatic ,all at once .Not only he carry the seven ”battleground ”states ,but confirmed his nationwide appeal by winning the popular vote ,the first for a Republican candidate in two decades .It is in the fitness of things to delve on the question why Trump won the crucial US presidential polls .Trump’s victory has become the Republican Party’s best performance since 1988 when George HW Bush won mandate .Trump said ,”we have achieved the most incredible political thing ,”He said it after crossing the halfway mark .Four years after being impeached for his role in a violent attack on Congress ,five months after being convicted of a felony in New York and three months after surviving an assassination attempt .Trump will begin preparing his return to the White House .In a close and the most consequential race in modern America ,Republican Presidential candidate Donald Trump has created history ,becoming the second ever former president ,and first Republican ,to win a non-consecutive second term after Grover Cleveland in 1892.Trumps victory is a case study in upending the notions of an ideal liberal democracy gift-wrapped in the American dream that the US and the West zealously sold to the rest of the world to emulate .When trump became the 47th President of the United States ,what lies shattered is the cultivated understanding that the free-market -dictated ,immigrant -friendly US is poised to lead the free-world both as a domineering superpower ,helping the allies and being tough on authoritarian regimes around world .At stake is the provision of US being a net security provider for its allies and friends ,and interventionists anywhere in the world when their interests are at stake .However ,Trump being elected to power shows that that’s not the way American voters think .The US is a leading military and economic power .But the pressing concerns of the American voters didn’t have much to do with the US claiming its global leadership role and being the beacon of blemish-less Western notions of democratic credentials .Their concerns were immediate -economy and immigration .They found Trump worthy of fulfilling their hopes with his make America Great Again or America First campaign .It also showed a general trend of global democracies being on a churn ,i.e the voters weighing their multiple identities and issues while making electoral choices .It is no longer one identity or one issue that dominates an area or even an individual .And these political shifts happen more quickly than used to take place in the past .For instance ,Lowa has undergone a seismic shift to the Right and towards Trump in recent years ,leaving no doubt that by nearly every measure .Perhaps ,no state has veered further from its past than the Hawkeye state .In 2008 ,it stood firmly behind Barack Obama ,handing him a nearly 10-point victory .Just 12 years later ,it delivered an emphatic ,more than 8 point win for Trump .The state’s political landscape has been irrevocably transformed-Republicans now dominate both the legislature and the governor’s palace, while the office of the attorney general is firmly in GOP hands ,with states agricultural division being known as the Farm and Freedom Division-a direct challenge to the federal government ,in line with Trump’s populist crusade .Similarly ,the soaring cost of housing and inflation in Arizona have profoundly influenced voters views on the US economy ,making them think they were better off in the trump era. This led to a surge in support for Trump .Arizona is a major swing state that Trump narrowly won in 2016 but lost to Biden in 2020.Trump told Americans that this moment will help country heal. The voters did not seem much about the personal attack against Trump .Nor his criminal convictions ,pending indictments or his continuous incendiary rhetoric remarks mattered to them ,because Trump could convert successfully this election into an election of existential angst and an opportunity for the people to protect their jobs ,land ,save their economy and their faith .Many streamed onto the streets wearing T-shirts that screamed ‘Jesus is my savior and Trump is my President .’Trump effectively and efficiently conflate politics with religion ,constantly employed Christian iconography in his speeches .That helped him among the people of faith in the US ,besides reinforced his image among the white population .His speeches were per formative ,even theatrical .His campaign employed whatever approach it took to win votes and people loved the spectacle at his rallies .Though many found Trump’s unreformed or even hegemonic masculinity despising ,it proved to be a convincing allure for men in an election where Trump was pitted against the first black women candidate .The way Republicans won senate and the Congress ,the dominance of Trump is unquestionable in the new America that supports him comprehensively to make it great again .In fact Assassination attempts ,criminal convictions and change in political opponent could not stop Republican Donald Trump winning the 2024 US election. Trump swept to a decisive victory on Wednesday morning after winning several crucial battleground states. Trump has made a remarkable political comeback that culminate with victory speech to a sea of supporters wearing his iconic red MAGA caps .He said ,”America has given us an unprecedented and powerful mandate ,”when the crowd was heaving with excitement .In a stunning comeback from his loss to Joe Biden in 2020 ,the Republican carved out a decisive victory with wins in crucial swing states. Trump presents a complex landscape for India-US ties .Trump defeated Democrat Kamala Harris and vowed to ensure a ” peaceful transfer of power ”,telling her supporters .Republicans also retake control of the US Senate and lead the contest to control the House of Representatives .India’s Narendra Modi called Donald Trump ,”my friend ”when congratulating him on his US election win. Trumps return to the White House .India feels optimistic about the ties between the two countries that present both opportunities and challenges across various domains. Donald trump is an eyesore and headache to the radicals ,extremists, terrorists ,militants and fundamentalists .All of these are uneasy and upset with the coming to power of Trump .Hindu’s worldwide have pinned great hopes on Trump and he will become savior of Hindu community not only in US but in the whole world as it is expected that security and interests of Hindu’s will be protected now that Trump has come to power in America .The bilateral relations ,China’s growing influence in Asia ,immigration and bilateral trade are the matters which will be seen how the America will respond .Diplomat and foreign policy experts have expressed both optimism and caution and emphasized that ties between the two countries should not be taken for granted given Trump’s unpredictable leadership style .In September 2019,they showcased their camaraderie by holding the ”Howdy Modi” event in Houston ,where Trump addressed some 50,000 Indian Americans ,marking a significant moment in US-India relations .This was followed by the ”Namaste Trump ,”event in February 2020 in India’s Gujarat state ,where Trump vowed to solidify US-India ties .The Republican politician even praised Modi during the 2024 election campaign ,calling him ,”the nicest human being,”and a friend in a podcast. .Dealing with Trump’s second term is not just about finding policy fixes for the many divergences that are bound to emerge between Delhi and Washington .India awaits coming to terms with Trumps plans to overhaul the global order and the US role in it. Kamla Harris the presidential candidate who fought the election for the highest post in US, despite being of the Indian origin, the Hindus, Indians and this community worldwide favored and wanted Trump to win the crucial elections. However, the return of Trump may not be all good news, especially for climate change efforts .To sum up it can be said that the bilateral and trade ties will flourish with the triumph of Trump.
(The author is a columnist, social and KP activist).