Watching Trump's return makes me glad I moved to Ireland
Voters cast their ballots at the American Legion Hall in Oak Creek, Wisconsin last week as the United States voted for its 47th president. Picture: Stacy Revere/Getty Images
As an American living in Ireland, I am often asked about the upcoming US presidential election. I understand why this is a hot topic of conversation. From an external point of view, US politics looks like a circus.
People often ask me how I think it will all turn out. My honest answer is that I have no clue. While I am extremely hopeful that Vice President Harris will succeed in becoming the first female president in US history, I think the world underestimates the immense number of Trump supporters across the country.
I went to Kansas City over the summer. As someone who doesn’t often stray from the East Coast, I was shocked by the vast amount of Trump supporters who jumped at any opportunity to yell about how much they hate liberals.
I grew up in New Jersey, a reliably blue state. While I would say that my hometown is overwhelmingly liberal, it is still riddled with ‘Trump 2024’ lawn signs and bumper stickers.
Unfortunately, I am not able to vote because, even though I lived in New Jersey for 12 years, I am not a US citizen. However, I don’t pretend to be impartial. If I could vote, I would vote for Harris. Although Harris is far from perfect, she is clearly the superior candidate.
There are many reasons why I would never vote for Trump. To name a few: Trump is a convicted felon, he was impeached twice during his presidency, he incited an insurrection when he lost the 2020 election and he has been accused of sexual assault by dozens of women.
Not to mention, my political beliefs align more closely with those of the Democratic Party. I disagree with Trump’s stance on abortion, immigration, gun control, climate change and more.
The massive influx of female voters casting their ballots early is extremely encouraging. I predict that many young women are passionate about this year’s election because of the recent reversal of Roe v Wade.
Reproductive rights are an exceptionally divisive and critical issue in the US. Many American women have been personally affected by the controversial decision to repeal Roe v Wade. They flock to the voting polls not because Harris will be able to reinstate the constitutional right, but to prevent Trump from criminalising abortion in all 50 states.
On the flip side, it is reported that Trump is up 18% with young male voters. The misogynistic rhetoric being propagated on the internet has no doubt contributed to this phenomenon. The 'manosphere' has convinced young men that they are the victims of the so-called feminist agenda. In reality, feminists seek to rectify the societal issues that the patriarchy has created for all genders.
On the other hand, many young men claim to be voting for Trump because “he is better for the economy”. First of all, Trump has dozens of failed business ventures under his belt. Details of his history as an unsuccessful businessman can be easily found on the internet. Regardless, American men have proven that they value the economy over the health and safety of their wives, daughters, mothers and sisters.
It is currently 1am in Ireland on November 6th. Trump has 90 electoral votes and Harris has 27. The polls have officially closed in Georgia, North Carolina and Pennsylvania. All three battleground states are still up for grabs and I am humming with anxiety. I don’t live in the US anymore, but this election will inevitably affect the entire world.
Unfortunately, Ireland is five hours ahead of New Jersey. I had hoped to pull an all-nighter and watch the election unfold. However, it was not long before I dozed off in front of the television as each candidate continued to accrue more and more electoral votes.
When I woke up the following morning, I immediately rolled over, grabbed my phone and typed “election results” into the Safari search bar. I was beyond disappointed to see Trump’s name flooding the screen.
Harris isn’t perfect by any means, but she is far more qualified, intelligent and honourable than Donald Trump. I do believe that her gender and race contributed to her loss.
This outcome reassures me that I made the right decision when I moved across the Atlantic. The ideals currently dominating US politics are abhorrent. My friends from back home seem to agree because I received a lot of text messages that day telling me how lucky I am to live in Ireland.
Watching the election unfold from a different country has been surreal. Waking up to the news that Trump won transported me back to 2016. I was 12 years old and absolutely shocked that a man as deplorable as Donald Trump was allowed to run, let alone win.
I was too young to fully comprehend the implications of his victory. I could never have foreseen the series of events that would unfold as a consequence of the 2016 election.
The congressional election also took place on November 5th. Though it has not received as much coverage as the presidential election, it is extremely important. Members of Congress have the power to enable or obstruct the president’s policy agenda.
As I write this, Republicans have won control of the US Senate and are also on their way to taking control of the House of Representatives. For Trump, this is great news.
In conclusion, I am no expert. These are simply the opinions of a 20-year-old girl who grew up in New Jersey. I am curious to see how Trump’s presidency plays out; I do not doubt that the repercussions of this election will be catastrophic.
