Donald Trump has once again made history after becoming only the second president-elect to be elected on non-consecutive terms. The only other president to do this was Grover Cleveland in 1884 and 1892. Cleveland was both the 22nd president and the 24th president of the United states. Donald Trump was formerly the 45th president of the United States and now will be the 47th.
Trump is also projected to win the election at the age of 78, becoming the oldest president to be elected in American history.
The unofficial results of the election were announced early Wednesday, Nov. 6, as Trump was projected to successfully win Georgia and Pennsylvania, as well as North Carolina late Tuesday night, making it impossible for the Harris campaign to win. When the nation began to wake up the morning after Election Day, Trump had secured the necessary 270 electoral college votes needed to declare his victory, as long as the electoral college votes officially go as projected by the time they are officially certified.
Trump also successfully won other key swing states like Michigan, Wisconsin, Arizona and Nevada. This broke the “Blue Wall” the Biden administration had won in 2020, that was formerly a “Red Wall” that Trump won in 2016. Similarly to Grover Cleveland, Donald Trump switched vice presidents for both elections he won. In 2016, Trump ran with at-the-time-Governor of Indiana Mike Pence. However, in this election cycle Trump ran with Ohio Senator JD Vance. Vance will be the third youngest vice president in American history at the age of 40.
This is the first election many people in Generation Z could vote in. That being said, there are many opinions about the results of the election. The shock of how much Trump won was surreal to many.
“It was unexpected to say the least,” said Jacob Brandt, a senior and middle independent. “I at least thought that it would be close, and I thought Harris would have a chance of winning and definitely not Trump just getting all of those votes in.”
The polls before Election Day showed that Harris and Trump would have a close race, but quite the opposite occurred, resulting in the surprise and the feelings of unexpectedness amongst young voters.
“I would say I am in shambles because who I voted for did not win,” senior and Harris supporter Rose Mary Jordan said.
Supporters of President-elect Trump have very different views on the results of the election.
“I was ecstatic,” senior and Trump supporter Connor Lee said. “I feel like it will be very good for the economy and the United States.”
Even for those who can not vote, the winner of the election was a pressing topic amongst discussion. There are various opinions surrounding who would have been a better candidate, and while students who are not 18 may not have the right to vote, they definitely have formulated opinions.
“I think both candidates have their flaws, both are stronger in some areas than others, but some areas are more important like the economy and our border,” sophomore and right-leaning independent Jeremiah Wright-Bibbs said. “I am not hardcore Republican. I am independent. I did like Bobby Kennedy, but he dropped out and endorsed Trump, and I believe their ideas align closer to what I believe make America healthy again.”
When it comes to policy, there are many disagreements on how the country should be run. For those supporting Trump, the economy was a pressing topic that Republicans would like to address.
“I like Trump as a person,” Lee said. “I am mainly going off of his previous election in 2016 basically because the economy was better, inflation was down, we didn't have as many immigrants in the United States, more people had jobs instead of being unemployed, homelessness was down, lots more people had homes. Trump can run the country as a business and that is what it is.”
Another main topic discussed in this election was immigration, which has been a main issue of Trump’s campaign dating back to when he ran for office in 2016.
“I really like Trump’s immigration policy a lot, mainly just because I feel like if you want to be in this country you can be in this country you just have to do it the right way,” Lee said.
Other supporters of President-elect Donald Trump liked his campaign over the Harris campaign because of what they believed Trump brought to the table more than Harris, even if not eligible to vote.
“I think Trump was more policy driven,” Wright-Bibbs said. “I think Trump really drilled in on what he actually wants to do for the country, and he got key endorsements from Bobby Kennedy, Charlie Kirk, Tulsi Gabbard. All of those people really pushed Trump to be the best candidate for me and my household. I’m not old enough to vote, but the next election is not until I am 19, and that is when I am going to be starting college and getting out on my own so these next four years will matter to me, [so in the Trump Administration] I hope inflation goes down, for everybody, and I also hope to get the conflicts with Russia-Ukraine down and Israel- Palestine.”
In the transition from the Biden administration to once again the Trump administration, there is quite a bit of uncertainty about whether the new policies going into play will work out. This may scare those who voted Harris, as the change being made may not be in line with what they believe is best for the country.
Part of that fear involves the potential implementation of Project 2025, a plan created by far right-leaning individuals that many worry will grow conservatism in the U.S.
“I just hope this goes smoothly with no tragedies, because [with] Project 2025 I think we will have some tragedies,” Jordan said.