Donald Trump has won the presidency again, becoming only the second person in U.S. history to serve non-consecutive terms.
His victory in the 2024 election reflects the deep divisions within the country. Millions of voters who felt alienated by the current system turned to the candidate promising radical change. Trump’s victory speech, delivered with his characteristic bravado, outlined key promises that suggest a drastic shift in how America will be governed.
“I will govern by a simple motto: promises made, promises kept,” Trump declared during his victory speech. These promises, however, signal a profound transformation in the nation’s democracy—one that many believe could dismantle the very system that has sustained it for centuries.
Trump’s 2024 campaign was fueled by dissatisfaction and fear, much of which he stoked during his rallies. He painted a bleak picture of the country, claiming the economy was in ruin and the border was a gateway for violent criminals despite evidence to the contrary. “This country is garbage,” he proclaimed during the campaign, drawing a sharp contrast between his vision of America and his opponents.
Vice President Kamala Harris was not spared from his verbal attacks. Trump referred to them as “stupid,” “a communist,” and even used derogatory slurs, appealing to the frustrations of voters who felt left behind. His message resonated with a significant portion of the electorate, many of whom were concerned about the state of democracy itself.
According to the AP VoteCast survey, a majority of voters expressed concern that Trump’s election could bring the U.S. closer to authoritarianism. Despite this, 1 in 10 of those concerned voters backed him anyway. Nearly 40% of Trump supporters indicated they wanted “complete upheaval” in how the country is run.
“We also think of voting from the executive level. We must focus on who our mayors are, our prosecutors, appeals courts, and board of education,” said Houston voter Zeterra Washington, explaining where Black voters should channel their energy going forward. “That legislative and judicial branches are where you will feel the impact of your vote the most.
Radical promises, Dire implications
Throughout his campaign, Trump made numerous promises that would fundamentally alter the core practices of American democracy. He vowed to use presidential power to target his political adversaries and prosecute those who opposed him. His victory speech reaffirmed this stance, as he talked about cracking down on “the enemy from within” — a phrase he used to describe Democrats and other political figures who stood in his way.
In his victory speech, Trump hinted at removing what he calls the “deep state” — the non-political civil servants who run the country’s day-to-day operations. This includes military leaders who “didn’t always heed him” during his first term, as well as members of the Justice Department who refused to indulge his baseless claims of election fraud in 2020. Even though over 85% of government workers currently work outside of the Washington, DC, area, Trump claims he would “drain the swamp” and relocate up to 100,000 jobs out of Washington. Entire departments would be abolished or dismantled under his plans.
However, perhaps one of his most radical promises was about the possibility of terminating parts of the U.S. Constitution. During his campaign, Trump shocked many by saying he would consider “the termination of all rules, regulations, and articles, even those found in the Constitution.” While his victory speech did not directly reference this controversial idea, it looms large over his promises to dismantle longstanding institutions.
Trump also doubled down on his hardline immigration stance, pledging to deport immigrants in massive numbers. He hinted at the potential use of military or military-style assets to achieve this goal, raising fears of a militarized approach to immigration enforcement. “The border is an open sore leeching murderous migrants,” Trump said, despite data showing a significant drop in border crossings. His rhetoric on immigration has always been a cornerstone of his platform, and this election was no different.
If Donald Trump is elected:
— Bernie Sanders (@BernieSanders) November 3, 2024
The struggle against climate change is over.
Women will lose the right to control their own bodies.
We'll have no shot at raising the minimum wage.
Humanitarian aid will not reach starving people in Gaza.
Do not sit this election out. pic.twitter.com/lU1a2UPCUj
Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders offered a harsh critique of the Democratic Party, which he believes has lost touch with working-class Americans. “It should come as no surprise that a Democratic Party which has abandoned working people would find that the working class has abandoned them,” Sanders said.
Trump’s victory, built on the lie of a stolen 2020 election and the chaos of the January 6 Capitol riot, shows that many Americans were willing to overlook—or even embrace—his authoritarian tendencies. Trump has made it clear that he intends to pardon some of the people convicted for their role in the insurrection and potentially even exonerate himself from the criminal cases pending against him.
Despite Trump’s promises of upheaval, some guardrails remain in place. The U.S. Supreme Court, with its conservative majority, has already expanded presidential immunity, but it has yet to be fully tested under Trump’s renewed leadership.
