Today's Edition
ABDULLAH ABU DHAIF (CAIRO)
Former US President Donald Trump, the Republican nominee, has described the forthcoming US presidential elections in November as a pivotal moment in the nation’s history. Trump cautioned against an “economic massacre” should he fail to secure victory against the incumbent Democratic President Joe Biden.
Merely four days after his nomination by the Republican Party, Trump, at a rally in Vandalia, Ohio, said: “November 5 will stand as the most significant day in the history of our country.” He boasted of clinching the Republican primary “in record time”, highlighting a more than seven-month wait before the electoral rematch with Biden, echoing the 2020 election dynamics.
As the final election campaigns for the Democratic and Republican parties commence, following Joe Biden and Donald Trump’s nominations, the electoral landscape mirrors the divided and contentious scene of 2020, underscoring deep societal rifts and divergent issue priorities.
Amidst this backdrop, American political analyst Irina Tsukerman commented on the heightened electoral fervour and the nomination dynamics, noting Trump’s concerns over losing 80,000 Republican votes in Georgia-a key state he previously lost by a 12,000 vote margin in 2020.
Tsukerman, in her remarks to Aletihad, said that it seems like Trump’s apparent inroads with African American and Hispanic voters and a marked enthusiasm among younger voters, adding that both candidates are grappling with general unpopularity, particularly among the youth.
From Washington, DC, American affairs researcher Michael Morgan reflected on the unsurprising nominations of Trump and Biden by their respective parties, attributing their early victories to the lack of strong contenders within their ranks.
The crux, according to Morgan, lies in swaying the American electorate with a compelling vision for the next four years.
He singled out illegal immigration as a critical issue, especially given the protests at the southern US
border, notably in Texas, a concern intertwined with economic factors and wage stagnation amidst rising inflation.
Morgan also emphasised the significance of foreign policy, crediting Trump with a more effective tenure that saw no new major conflicts, contrasting with the criticism often directed at the Democratic administration’s foreign policy under Biden’s leadership.
