Donald Trump has secured a second term in the White House, making history as the first convicted criminal to be elected president of the United States.
Amidst intense political polarization, this result is poised to shape the direction of American governance for years to come.
While Trump has pledged to “help our country heal” and promised a “golden age for America,” question marks linger over whether his divisive rhetoric will continue or evolve.
In the wake of his surprising victory, questions also abound about what his second term will entail, the strategies he will use in a divided political landscape, and the wider implications of his continued influence.
Here are six questions from Independent readers – and my answers from the “Ask Me Anything” event.
Q: Are pollsters a redundant entity after getting it so wrong, again?
stopher83
A: Polling is going to have to go through some huge soul-searching. This is the third presidential election cycle where they underestimated Trump’s support and they had taken great lengths to find ways to mitigate that this year. But even then, they missed the magnitude, particularly when it came to Latinos, which I explain further here.
Q: Do you think Hollywood’s elite helped or hindered the resulting outcome for Harris?
chrisfarrell1200
A: I don’t think it helped or hurt. Trump himself is a former SAG member. Democrats always have celebrities get behind them, even when they win. Heck, Trump had Hulk Hogan and Dana White behind him. It was more of a wash.
Q: What does this result say about American society?
2DB
A: It says a lot. It shows how many hoops women have to jump through. Think of it this way: Kamala Harris is only the second Black female senator. This coming Senate will be the first time the Senate has two Black women serving at the same time. No state has elected a Black female governor. Harris also had the misfortune of running as a Democrat when most people blamed her boss for the economy.
Q: What is the truth behind Project 2025 and it being put in place?
cole_stvs
A: So the relationship between Trump and Project 2025 is interesting. It was put together by the Heritage Foundation and in truth it is the most recent edition of the group’s Mandate for Leadership that started in the Reagan Era. Plenty of Trump’s former administration officials helped craft the policy ideas. Trump tried distancing himself from it but plenty of right-wingers are bragging about it now on social media. You can read more about Project 2025 here.
Q: Will Trump be sentenced for any of his felonies?
momo_oh_oh
A: So as of right now it looks like Jack Smith will be winding down his investigations and legal cases.
Others like the New York case and the Fulton County one are more precarious.
Q: Is there any possibility of further indictments against Donald Trump now?
DaveN12
A: The Department of Justice has long said that it cannot indict a sitting president. The House could impeach Trump if Democrats win the majority (Possible). But the Senate would acquit him.
These questions and answers were part of an ‘Ask Me Anything’ hosted by Eric Garcia. Some of the questions and answers have been edited for this article. You can read the full discussion in the comments section of the original article.
