The 2024 US presidential election would impact on democracy and international relations

The 2024 US presidential election would impact on democracy and international relations
Credit: REUTERS/JONATHAN DRAKE

It seems like the upcoming US Presidential election will impact ‌global politics. The major candidates that oppose each other are Vice President Kamala Harris and Donald Trump. If Trump is reelected, then ‌major trends in the US will not change. It includes a reduced focus on globalization, as shown by increased trade barriers and tougher immigration rules. It is also expected that there will be an increase in competition between other nations such as China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea. 

This change has weakened the collaborative approach with other nations. However, both Harris and Trump have different opinions about these trends. So what type of change will occur depends upon the upcoming president of the United States. If Harris becomes ‌president, then support for different nations such as Israel, Japan, and South Korea will continue. Trump may provide more military assistance to Israel ‌to overcome the growing challenges from China; both candidates need to maintain strong ties with these allies.  

Trump’s second presidency could create many complexities for the US allies in ‌Europe. He supports strongmen and leaders instead of allies. Those people who are even considering leaving NATO get his favoritism. However this approach by ‌Donald Trump could weaken ‌US support for NATO and Ukraine. Also, this strategy put in damage the security and economic ties with the European Union. In contrast, Harris has ‌great support for Ukraine against Russia. She values strong US-Europe alliances. 

Both candidates have different goal strategies. Their global strategies also differ. Harris sees protectionism as a short-term measure to strengthen the US, while Trump envisions a lasting move toward the United States’ isolation. Harris showed favoritism for collaborating with allies. In this way, the US can manage different complexities and balance ‌strong partnerships. On the other, Trump wants the isolated US. So his approach could increase‌ global friction. It means Harris can better maintain the international partnership and Trump could further increase the distance between the US and its global partners. 

This 2024 US election will significantly impact the US focus on democracy. In Biden’s presidential era, democracy was the key part of‌ US foreign policy, despite often being symbolic. 

According to this stance, human rights are one of the top priorities and resisting authoritarian regimes. If Harris wins the election, then this policy would continue, but if Trump is reelected, ‌support for abroad’s democracy would be decreased and democracy at home could be in serious danger.

Trump had authoritarian tendencies during his first term, particularly when he attempted to alter the results of the 2020 election. This resulted in the Capitol attack on January 6, 2021, which many people believe was either an uprising or maybe a coup attempt. Trump’s election raises concerns that America’s dedication to democratic principles may deteriorate considerably.

Trump has been making more and more anti-democratic threats in the run-up to the election, aimed at the media and his rivals. He will probably try hard to fulfill these threats, whether he can or cannot. Given that he now has firm influence over the Republican Party, the institutional balances that helped restrain his authoritarian impulses during his first term might not be as effective if he is elected to a second term.

The US’s internal identity has a significant impact on how it engages with the world. Because Trump’s challenge to democratic norms has the potential to redefine what the United States stands for, the U.S. presidential election is extremely important globally. This election has global ramifications that could change the United States’ position and influence on the international scene.

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  • NYCFPA Editorial

    The New York Center for Foreign Policy Affairs (NYCFPA) is a policy, research, and educational organization headquartered in New York State with an office in Washington D.C. NYCFPA is an independent, non-profit, non-partisan, institution devoted to conducting in-depth research and analysis on every aspect of American foreign policy and its impact around the world. The organization is funded by individual donors. The organization receives no corporate or government donations.

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