Trump Elected President of the United States
In the lead-up to his 2024 presidential campaign, Donald J. Trump has outlined his second term platform, emphasising a continuation and intensification of his prior policies with particular attention to evangelical issues, abortion, and international relations.
Evangelical Issues and Social Conservatism
Trump's political agenda is closely aligned with evangelical Christian values. His platform seeks to restore the family as central to American life and advance Christian nationalism in government. Initiatives like Project 2025 by the Heritage Foundation aim to infuse federal governance with Christian principles. This includes opposing the "normalization of transgenderism" in schools and promoting religious devotion, spirituality, and traditional family structures.
Abortion
Trump's stance on abortion remains strongly anti-abortion, consistent with his previous term. His appeal to evangelical voters includes support for restrictive abortion laws and policies. The defense of "God-given individual rights" serves as a cornerstone of his commitment to socially conservative policies favoured by evangelical Christians.
International Relations
In foreign policy, Trump emphasises a continuation of his "America First" doctrine, prioritising national sovereignty and protection of U.S. interests. He has criticised international alliances like NATO as obsolete and favours renegotiation of trade deals to favour American workers. His approach maintains a protectionist and noninterventionist tone, seeking to strengthen U.S. borders and reject what he describes as adverse global entanglements.
Other Policy Highlights
Additional policy highlights in his second term include promises to federalise and cleanse Washington, D.C., from crime and lawlessness by reorganising local governance directly under federal control. This tough-on-crime approach resonates with conservative and evangelical constituencies.
Support from Evangelical Leaders
Several evangelical leaders have explicitly supported Trump during the campaign, reflecting the candidate's strong appeal among these voter groups.
Electoral Success
Trump secured more than 270 electoral votes and received a majority of direct votes, positioning him for a potential return to the White House. The Supreme Court already has a conservative majority, which could support Trump's political project.
Vice-President JD Vance's Support
Vice-president JD Vance is also supporting Trump's political project. The victory of Donald Trump is part of a trend of a general growth of conservatives who are leveraging the media power of social media to connect with voters.
As the election approaches, Trump has been seeking to strengthen ties with evangelical voters, a key demographic in his political base. The stance of the new US administration on international policy issues, such as the wars in Ukraine and Israel, international relations with China and Russia, and the role of NATO, is of great interest. Trump's second term platform fortifies his previous term's commitment to evangelical social values, aggressive immigration control, and nationalist international relations, reinforcing a governance style oriented around Christian nationalism, strict law enforcement, and economic protectionism.
Education-and-Self-Development: With Project 2025 by the Heritage Foundation, Trump's second term platform seeks to infuse federal governance with Christian principles, aiming to deeply impact education and self-development, including opposing the "normalization of transgenderism" in schools.
Crime-and-Justice: Reinforcing his commitment to law enforcement, Trump promises to federalize and cleanse Washington, D.C., from crime and lawlessness, addressing key concerns within conservative and evangelical constituencies.
Sports: The stance of the new US administration's approach towards sports-related policies remains uncertain, as international relations, particularly concerning wars in Ukraine and Israel, international relations with China and Russia, and the role of NATO, are of great interest during the election season.
