Trump’s won, so now what? From border to Ukraine war, here’s what could be top of Don’s to-do list after crushing Dems
THE world has woken up with a new President of the United States after Donald Trump's crushing election victory over Kamala Harris.
The Republican strongman, 78, won the race to the White House after several swing states flipped red in a humiliating blow to the Democrats.
As Trump prepares to return to the Oval Office, he steps into a political landscape shaped by a GOP-controlled Senate and a likely Republican majority in the House.
His running mate and now Vice President, JD Vance, previously vowed to unite the country, saying: "The way that we unite the country is to talk about the issues the American people care the most about."
Dr Alan Mendoza, executive director for the think tank Henry Jackson Society, told The Sun that the world will need to adjust after Trump's US election win and that lessons can be learned from the ex-president's former stint in the White House.
He said: “Donald Trump’s comprehensive victory means that US allies and enemies alike are going to have to recalibrate their positions to reflect that, it is now going to be his global agenda that the world moves to.
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"It would be a mistake to assume that anything – whether the end of the war in Ukraine or the future of the Middle East – is a foregone conclusion.
"The history of the first Trump administration from 2016-20 shows that those who engage and respect the USA did well, while those who denigrated and challenged it did badly.
Lessons can be learned from that, about how to position internationally to make sure that countries are in the driving seat of history rather than its passengers."
As the newly-elected U.S. President, Donald Trump will follow several key procedures and transitions before he can officially take office.
Reports suggest that Trump is considering making U.S. military aid to Ukraine dependent on its willingness to enter peace talks with Russia, while simultaneously assuring Moscow that U.S. support to Kyiv would increase if Putin refuses to negotiate.
On Wednesday, Ukraine Prime Minister Volodymyr Zelenskyy sent his best wishes to Trump.
He wrote on X: "Congratulations to @realDonaldTrump on his impressive election victory!
"I recall our great meeting with President Trump back in September, when we discussed in detail the Ukraine-U.S. strategic partnership, the Victory Plan, and ways to put an end to Russian aggression against Ukraine.
Trump has also said he would deploy special forces to combat Mexican drug cartels.
Former Defense Secretary Mark Esper mentioned in his memoir that he twice opposed Trump’s suggestion to use missile strikes against these cartels.
Trump also plans to allocate federal funds to employ veterans, retired police officers, and trained gun owners as armed guards in schools to "deter unhinged maniacs and keep our nation’s children out of harm’s way”.
He also suggested using the wealthy endowments of elite private universities to create an American Academy that would provide a world-class education for free without increasing the federal debt.
The academy’s educational content would be accessible online at no cost, and Trump stated that it would prohibit “wokeness” and “jihadism.”
Abortion & IVF
Trump has distanced himself from the abortion policies he championed during his first term, particularly with regard to universal access.
His conservative-appointed Supreme Court judges pushed the issue back to the states, leading to abortion bans or severe restrictions in 21 Republican-controlled states.
But Trump has stated he would not sign a federal ban on abortion if passed by Congress.
In a campaign video, he clarified his position, saying: “Like Ronald Reagan, I am strongly in favour of exceptions for rape, incest, and the life of the mother,” after months of mixed signals.
He has reiterated this stance at his campaign rallies.
Trump has also pledged to have U.S. states and insurers fund IVF treatments if he is elected for a second term.
But he did not provide details on how he would fund the costly procedure or explain the specifics of how his plan would be implemented.
Economy & Trade
Trump has consistently described tariffs as “the most beautiful word in the dictionary.”
He has committed to imposing a universal tariff of 10 to 20 percent on all imports, with a 60 percent tariff on Chinese goods.
He has also proposed steep levies on foreign cars made in Mexico or China, saying they could range from 100 to 2,000 percent in an interview with Bloomberg News.
Trump vowed to revoke China’s “most-favored nation” trade status and implement a four-year plan to gradually eliminate Chinese imports of key goods, including electronics, steel, and pharmaceuticals.
But economists warn that such tariffs would likely increase costs for U.S. consumers and exacerbate inflation.
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Trump has also proposed making the tax cuts from the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act permanent, extending them beyond their expiration date at the end of 2025.
However, a recent report by the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office warned that this would add $3.5 trillion to the nation’s already soaring debt, which currently stands at $31.4 trillion.