He’s back – and the guard rails are closed. Like it or not (and there are all kinds of psychological warnings) it is now certain that Donald J Trump will rule the United States for the next four years. If I were Ukrainian I would be really worried.

Why did Trump win? “ economystupid”, to use the cliché. To use its rivals’ most egregious claims, America re-elected a man Branded “fascist” by Kamala Harris To the White House. If democracy itself was on the ballot, then a depressingly large number of Americans chose to reject it.

To be fair you can see why. The economy was really on the ballot box — and voters answered Trump’s frequent question: “Are you better off than you were four years ago?” with a devastating “no”.

Fair or not, the Harris campaign There was no defense against inflation of the last few years – and to put it at its most brutal, Gasoline prices overshadowed the right to abortion. Barack Obama defended why gasoline prices were very low Previously, no one was driving during the pandemic. This was true, and the same goes for energy bills and groceries, but the sense of economic distress in the “swing states” in the Blue Wall (Wisconsin, Michigan, and Pennsylvania) was deeply ingrained; and their frustrations with Democrats ran too deep for Harris to overcome.

Democrats also underestimated the fear factor. southern border and migration. Border czar or not, Harris had to take responsibility for this, too.

The Harris-Biden administration actually has a strong track record on jobs and growth and reduced inflation – but Kamala Harris failed to “sell” it because the cost of life crisis, including the cost of housing, is taking its toll on too many Americans.

Trump saw that the real issue was the economy and pushed it. He had some sort of plan to bring back jobs and prosperity: protectionism. Harris did so for the investment, but did not win the debate. Trump campaign Lies were told that flood relief money was going to illegal immigrants – and Elon Musk didn’t exactly include Tsunami of misinformation on social media Most of these apparently come from abroad with bad intentions; But what held back Democrats was the lived experience of American families.

Maybe if Harris had had more time to introduce herself to the American people and Joe Biden had withdrawn earlier, the outcome might have been a little different; But then again, maybe Trump wouldn’t be able to make the progress he’s made recently among young Black men and Latino voters.

Maybe if there had been time for a proper Democratic race for the nomination, a stronger candidate might have emerged Without the Biden-Harris baggage The administration could have prevailed over Trump. But given the likely margin of victory and the context of the last few years, this is far from certain. The desire to undo Trump was strong, and dissatisfaction with Biden’s record was almost irreparable.

Throw your mind back. Following the events of January 6, 2021, The felony conviction and all the other pending legal activity made it feel like the Trump era was over. Still, he pulled off the greatest comeback since Lazarus (or at least since Grover Cleveland in 1892). His campaign wasn’t particularly educational either. “Jokes” about Puerto Ricans“Low IQ” jokes against Kamala Harris, allegation “They eat pets” in Springfield, Ohio.

Americans lived through Trump’s first term. They know him well; He has been in politics since 2016 and has been a high-profile celebrity for decades. Early in her campaign, Harris said she knew Trump’s “type”; So do a lot of Americans… and they don’t seem to care.

A man who is an autocrat by nature looks like Trump’s Republican party. or rather his personal MAGA cult Given the progress made, he will also control the Senate and the House of Representatives. We also know that, as a result of a series of self-interested appointments during his first term on the Supreme Court, he was granted “qualified immunity” from prosecution for acts committed by him that could be construed as unlawful. Within the scope of administrative duties. It looks like he might escape punishment for the various cases filed against him.

Trump won’t be the only one ruling America. We will see Elon Musk (“We have a new star in Elon”, Trump claimed in his early campaign victory speech), RFK Jr is in charge of healthcare (and therefore women’s bodies) And J.D. Vance It fuels hatred. It will pave the way for what they call Project 2025, a truly terrifying agenda for elective dictatorship.

American women’s reproductive rights It has already been attacked, and there will be much more to follow: voter suppression, the erosion of hard-won civil rights, more court-packing, more media bullying, and more visceral contempt for Americans. There will be no second civil war, but there will be a continuing, crushing degradation of the American constitution; And if he keeps his word, Forced deportation of millions. There will be chaos, fire and fury, just like in 2017-21.

When it comes time for the 2028 election, one wonders how free and fair it will be. This will most likely be a situation in which the taken-for-granted freedoms will no longer be so complete; a nation under the rule of an authoritarian nationalist government. Nativism, protectionism and populism are not hallmarks of a mature, healthy democracy.

The terrible irony now is that Trump’s policies, which include import tariffs and taking control of the Federal Reserve, will increase inflation, lead to job losses in the long run, and weaken the dollar. Any country in the world that trades with America and keeps the dollar as a reserve currency will also be worse off; A trade war with China and a global trade recession are the most miserable consequences. Trump will leave Ukraine to Vladimir Putin In the most shameful period of deliberate appeasement since the 1930s.

In the Middle East, perhaps to the dismay of Arab Americans who voted for him, Trump will give freedom to Binyamin Netanyhu – and this could even include proxy war against Iran. Even if they pay their bills for Western defense, relations with NATO allies will hit rock bottom again. After all, Trump isn’t going to fight for an obscure country in Eastern Europe that he can’t find on a map. The grand Atlantic alliance would be transactional at best. In East Asia and the Pacific, even if strange friendships with Kim Jong Un are renewed, tensions with China are bound to become even more intense.

In short, Trump will make the world a poorer, more unstable place and there will be more wars. Meanwhile, not enough mention was made of the lethal damage that would be inflicted. world climate change agreements

This is a terrible sight that Americans have chosen. This is their job, of course, and strangers telling them what to do is unbearably condescending. Good morning my baby. But the rest of the world has been deeply affected by what happened to the United States, and it’s hard to see this ending well. If we stay with Trump for four more years, we may not have much peace and security left.