The challenges awaiting the next president of the United States

U.S. voters will decide who will be the country’s 47th president: Democrat Kamala Harris or Republican Donald Trump. Regardless of who wins, both candidates will face significant challenges, such as the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, immigration, and the ongoing fight against inflation. However, the main challenge will be ensuring that the losing candidate’s supporters accept the official results and preventing violence scenes, like those seen during the attack on the Capitol on January 6, 2021.

Some concerning signs are already emerging. A new report from the Global Project Against Hate and Extremism (GPAHE) has identified patterns in social media conversations reminiscent of those preceding the insurrection. Trump has hinted that he would not accept any outcome other than his victory and may encourage his supporters to disrupt the counting and certification process, just as he did four years ago.

On the other hand, Harris said that she will accept the results regardless of the outcome, and there are no indications that her supporters are inclined to resort to violence. Nevertheless, it is not out of the question that isolated individuals might seek to take matters into their own hands, especially in a year when Trump has already been the target of two assassination attempts.

Once the winner begins the transition process and takes possession of the Oval Office, they will need to address the following key issues.

Polarization

Regardless of the outcome, the new president will inherit a deeply divided nation, split in two near-even halves. A significant part of their responsibility will be to heal the wounds and bridge the growing distrust between Democrats and Republicans, which has become so extreme that people increasingly choose where to live based on their political affiliation.

Harris has expressed her commitment to being the president for all Americans and fostering unity. In the final weeks of the campaign, one of her recurring messages has been that she has a “to-do list” to help the American people. In stark contrast, Trump has vowed to be a “dictator” on “day one” of his new administration. In the closing weeks of the campaign, he has also threatened “revenge” against his political adversaries, including representatives of the opposing party and the media.

Economy

The biggest concern for Americans is the economy. According to a YouGov survey conducted in October, 44% of respondents believe there is an imminent risk of “economic collapse.”And yet it seems difficult for the country’s economic health to get any better. The country’s GDP is among the fastest-growing in advanced economies, the unemployment rate stands at 4.1% — effectively signaling near-full employment — and inflation, which exceeded 9% during the first half of Biden’s term, has been brought under control.

However, voters are drawn to Trump’s promises of implementing tariffs on foreign products to incentivize companies to bring manufacturing back to U.S. soil, along with his pledge to cut taxes. In contrast, Harris has proposed several measures aimed at facilitating home ownership, including the construction of three million new houses and apartments.

Foreign policy

One of the most pressing issues for the new president will be addressing the conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine. Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza has devastated the Palestinian territory, killing more than 42,000 people, mostly women and children. The violence has also spread to Lebanon, where Israeli forces have launched an invasion in the south as it fights Iran-backed Hezbollah.

The Biden administration has attempted, so far unsuccessfully, to broker a deal for a prisoner exchange deal between Hamas and Israel to help end the war. The conflict has significantly influenced domestic U.S. politics, with the Arab-American community and progressive groups criticizing the White House’s unconditional support for Israel. They are calling for an end to the conflict or, at the very least, urging Washington to veto arms supplies to Israel as a condition for backing Harris. Trump, meanwhile, has proclaimed himself “Israel’s best friend” and, although he believes the war should end “as soon as possible,” he maintains that it should conclude with an Israeli victory.

In Ukraine, the next U.S. president will need to determine whether to continue supporting President Volodymyr Zelenskiy’s government in its fight against Russian aggression. Harris has consistently emphasized her commitment to maintaining the Biden administration’s economic and military support, arguing that a Russian victory would embolden President Vladimir Putin to repeat such actions elsewhere in Europe and signal to other autocrats that they can act with impunity against the established world order.

Trump, on the other hand, has criticized U.S. assistance to Kyiv, praised the Russian leader, and claimed he could end the war that began in February 2022 in just one day, presumably by forcing Zelenskiy to accept Russian terms.

Additionally, the future head of state will have to navigate the primary focus of U.S. foreign policy: its rivalry with China and the future of Taiwan, the self-governing island allied with Washington, which Beijing considers part of its territory.

Reproductive rights

On the domestic front, the incoming Democrat or Republican president will face crucial decisions on one of the key issues that, according to polls, was either the top or second priority for a majority of women voters: abortion. Harris has made reproductive freedoms a cornerstone of her campaign, passionately defending the right to abortion. Trump, while stating during the campaign that he would not sign a national abortion ban, has praised the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn the federal right to abortion in 2022. Indeed, he appointed three of its nine justices. Trump has also said that he will “protect” women, whether “they like it or not.”

Immigration

Another major issue awaiting the new occupant of the Oval Office is immigration. It has consistently been one of the top priorities for voters, particularly among Republican supporters, who have listed it as their primary or secondary concern. In response to the growing public pressure, the Biden administration has taken stricter measures, including limiting most asylum applications and halting asylum processing when irregular border entries exceed 2,500 per day for a week.

Harris has pledged to push through the bipartisan immigration reform bill that failed in Congress earlier this year, which includes stronger border control provisions and increased funding for hiring judges and officials to tackle the backlog of immigration cases. Trump, on the other hand, has threatened to launch “the largest deportation operation in the history” of the United States.

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