It has now been over three months since Donald Trump was elected the 47th president of the United States in November 2024, securing a decisive victory over the incumbent vice president, Kamala Harris.
A U.S. presidential election is not a national referendum but rather 51 individual contests. Each state—plus the District of Columbia—has a proportional say, based on population, in choosing the president. Candidates must win individual states to secure electoral votes. Some states consistently vote for the Democratic candidate, others reliably back the Republican candidate, while certain states are less predictable. These “swing states” often have a significant impact on the election outcome.
President Trump won all seven swing states in 2024, flipped a couple of traditionally blue (Democratic) states to red, and emerged victorious by a wide margin. He became only the second person in U.S. history to win non-consecutive terms as president.
Trump achieved this despite facing numerous legal cases across multiple jurisdictions, an intensely hostile media landscape, and even a would-be assassin’s bullet on his return to the White House. His approval ratings in the weeks following his inauguration on January 20, 2025, were the highest they had ever been.
The international media were baffled. How did this brash, outspoken, and often combative figure convince over 77 million Americans to vote for him? The answer is simpler than it appears.
During the 2024 election cycle, polls consistently highlighted the same issues as top concerns for the American public. In each of these areas, the Biden/Harris administration received poor marks, while Trump had demonstrated greater success during his previous presidency.
The foremost priority for most Americans was the economy. Under President Joe Biden’s policies and limited diplomatic skills, Americans faced high inflation and rising interest rates. Gas prices soared, and since trucks rely on fuel, the cost of goods they transported—such as groceries and pharmaceuticals—also skyrocketed.
Basic food items like eggs doubled in price. When families struggle to afford food, medication, and fuel, it’s natural to seek change. When young families can’t afford homes due to high interest rates, they yearn for something different. Trump, whose economic record before the COVID-19 pandemic outperformed Biden’s in several key areas, promised that change.
The second most pressing issue for Americans, according to polls, was the open border with Mexico. On his first day in office, Biden reversed several border policies and projects implemented by Trump during his first term. The results were disastrous. Harris was appointed as the “border czar,” but she didn’t visit the border until nearly four years later, when she became her party’s presidential nominee. Biden simply shrugged and said, “We’re doing all we can.”
According to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), in April 2020, during Trump’s first term, there were just over 16,000 illegal border crossings. By 2022, a year into Biden’s presidency, monthly crossings consistently exceeded 200,000—with 235,000 in April alone. The worst month was December 2023, when 250,000 people crossed the border illegally, according to CBP.
In contrast, during the first full month of Trump’s second term, CBP recorded only 8,450 apprehensions of migrants crossing illegally between official entry points along the U.S.-Mexico border. This marked a 97% drop from the peak of 250,000 and was the lowest number since records began. This success was achieved by enforcing existing laws and allowing border patrol agents to do their jobs effectively.
A third major concern for Americans in 2024 was the war in Gaza. Before the election, Trump emphasized the importance of peace in the region and promised a ceasefire would be in place even before his official inauguration.
Biden had virtually no diplomatic relationship with the Arab community, and the Netanyahu administration openly disliked him, as Biden’s campaign team had previously worked to unseat Netanyahu in Israel. In short, Biden had no leverage with either side in the conflict.
After winning the election, Trump prioritized Gaza. He appointed a team led by Steve Witkoff to work with Egypt and Qatar on a ceasefire agreement. Witkoff earned praise from all parties involved and helped broker a ceasefire within weeks. While the Israel-Arab conflict remains complex, for the first time in 15 months, the violence ceased. Trump had delivered on his promise.
Trump has only been back in the White House for a few weeks but has already fulfilled several major promises and is making progress on others.
While Gaza’s future remains uncertain, the ceasefire continues to hold.
The U.S. border is more secure than ever.
Trump’s energy and environmental policies are expected to benefit the U.S. and global economies within months, with lower prices and greater stability anticipated.
Trump’s team is also tackling other challenges—achieving peace in Ukraine, rescuing astronauts stranded at the International Space Station, and reducing government waste, fraud, and abuse. Even his harshest critics find it hard to argue with these goals. Does anyone want more war between Russia and Ukraine? Does anyone believe government waste and corruption should be tolerated? Of course not.
While some Americans and global citizens are put off by Trump’s blunt and aggressive style, if they look beyond the bluster and objectively assess the results—peace, security, stability, and prosperity—they may realize that the U.S., and indeed the world, need Trump at this moment in time.
The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeera’s editorial stance.
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