Donald Trump's victory in the White House at the end of this election is in no way a surprise. There was only the European media, particularly French, to think and hope that the billionaire could not return to the Oval Office and for multiple reasons which went well beyond them. His trials, his outrageous campaign, the obsession with enemies, his lies (the stolen election in 2020), his radical positions and the violence of his supporters (the Capitol on January 6, 2021), would get the better of him and Kamala Harris, candidate by default after the withdrawal of Joe Biden, could surely prevail in this breeding ground of negativity and chaos.
Nay: it was not a neck and neck between the two candidates which took place at the finish, as polls, fortune tellers and readers of various coffee grounds claimed, but rather a Trumpist tidal wave which came from flood all of America: the Presidency, the Senate, probably the House of Representatives and already the Supreme Court of course before. There is red everywhere in the country now. Because Trump, a former television character, is not as negative, aggressive or violent as we would like to think: more precisely, the Americans do not hold it against him since he sells dreams to Americans, greatness, prestige and he now speaks to a large part of them. Hollywood and Disney stronger than science and truth. Many on the Old Continent fear for American democracy even though it has just proven that it is still holding up well, especially since there is little risk of challenges to the results on both sides. What was most to be feared was the risk of chaos.
The strength of Trump: speaking truth while speaking falsely
Americans are Americans: certainly, a large number of cities remain Democratic, but that is not America as a whole. Donald Trump's campaign across the country proved that he was a showman and a convincing war machine, who spoke to the depths of the country's lost states. The worker, the farmer, the evangelical, and even the Latino and Arab minorities, have given in to his sirens. He promises not only greatness, but economic prosperity to all downgraded Americans, neglected by the Democrats, too focused according to them on minorities, immigrants, and bourgeois struggles for identity. For them, it is finally a President who will focus on their fate, and not that of the Ukrainians or other populations who are of little interest to the Americans.
Trump's striking power, facing a Kamala Harris weaker in terms of strength of conviction, made all the difference
We are no longer talking only about the traditionally Republican states won by Trump. But the latter has a priori was able to win the majority of “swing states”, in particular Pennsylvania, Georgia and North Carolina. Arizona and Nevada are also given winners for the Republican. So why such unexpected success according to many? His demonstration of force is clear: whether we like him or not, he has not let go of the militant and media terrain which he has the secret to snatching his victory. And the on-site relays were extremely important: on site yes, but also via social networks (thanks Elon Musk) and podcasts (thanks Joe Rogan). Trump's striking power, against a Kamala Harris weaker in terms of strength of conviction, made all the difference. And in a difficult world, with leaders on the planet more radical than ever, the Americans have chosen a man who is feared and therefore respected.
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In this world that has become more chaotic than ever, the Trumpists have once again bet on their foe to be at the level of the detractors of the West in general, and of America in particular. We need to speak in the same terms to these people. Trump has an explosive cocktail for this: populism, patriotism, violence, anger against the enemy. A veritable cult of personality that would be enough to make Putin and Jinping combined jealous!
Trump's program can be summed up in a few words and a “teaser”: America first. Not just America first, but especially America first. Who could complain about that? Since the United States has been criticized for meddling in everything in the world, now the Europeans are angry with Trump for minding his own business.
Harris' weakness: smiling too much not to speak
Kamala Harris replaced Joe Biden in the race for the White House at short notice and she will not break through the glass ceiling. A true symbol of a woman, with mixed roots, who could have been the first female president of the United States, Harris almost stopped there in terms of program. We have heard little about the misfortunes of the Americans, and the misfortunes of the world. We never heard him talk about Europe. She even managed to lose some of the Democrats' traditional support, which constitutes the traditional vote reservoirs of Latinos, Black Americans, Arabs and various minorities in general.
The current vice-president ran a campaign of long silences and loud fits of laughter. This could not be enough, as she was unable to hide her shortcomings and weaknesses. She inherited the Biden record, rather good on the economy, less on the total support displayed for Israel, and prohibitive for the minorities mentioned above. It was believed that women would save Harris, in the face of the radical policies of Trump's supporters on abortion and reproductive rights. Not even: it is proof (unfortunately one could say) that it is not a priority for the Americans who brought Trump back to the doors of the White House.
Joe Biden will bear the responsibility for not having known how to withdraw as soon as possible from the race for the White House
Biden's responsibility: talking too much
Joe Biden will soon end his term on January 20 with a terrible defeat for his camp. He will bear the responsibility for a long time for not having known how to withdraw as soon as possible from the race for the White House, to allow a Democratic primary, which would have seen a stronger, more solid, more seductive and more “salesman” candidate (even if to lie and sell dreams by all means), to compete with the Trump bulldozer.
His remarks against Trump voters, recently calling them trash (in response to the racist remarks of a local comedian invited to the meeting of the former and future President at Madison Square Garden calling the island of Puerto Rico a dump), have largely served Harris's cause. Her recent comments, her general weakening, have dragged the Vice-President's campaign down, to the point of appearing like a ball and chain. Not only did he never really allow Kamala Harris to emerge on the national and international scene for four years, but he cast a lot of shadow over her during the campaign through her mistakes.
From now on, the Democrats, crushed, will have to rebuild themselves and try to understand how they can try for the next election to win the two votes that they violently lost last night: the vote of the electors but above all the popular vote, which was initially not at all won over to Donald Trump “according to the polls”.
The global evolution of the world
On a world stage increasingly occupied by strong men and autocrats, Western democracies are increasingly seduced by strong men to defend and resist. These are the premises, with Donald Trump back in power, of what could happen in the years to come. And Elon Musk's support is no coincidence.
Democracy as we knew it will evolve
Democracy as we have known it will evolve: the growing takeover of artificial intelligence, machines, and computers, in political decision-making, will come closer to rational, efficient, and mathematical decisions of a number of current leaders. Firm, radical decisions, in the service of the nation they defend. There will no longer be room for people full of good feelings, the defense of battles or countries, if it is not economically profitable or if it goes against the interest of its own citizens. This is very worrying but it is a reality.
Priority will be given to the country that this human-machine systemic ensemble runs, which is less so. Some have already thought for decades that there will no longer be leaders or even governments and that societies will self-regulate like that. Many call Donald Trump a machine. And what about Musk? A harbinger of the world that is coming?
