By Dr. Isaac Newton
News Americas, NEW YORK, NY, Weds. Nov. 6, 2024: A friend recently expressed shock over the 2024 U.S. election results—a landslide victory for Donald Trump over Kamala Harris. To explain my perspective, I used an analogy: “If you plant a mango tree in Alaska, it won’t survive. But plant it in the Caribbean, and it thrives.” Trump flourishes in America because he’s not an outsider; he embodies the values, identity, and spirit that take root in American soil. His win isn’t just about who he is; it’s about what many Americans see in themselves.
This election outcome isn’t primarily about Trump as an individual, but about what he represents. His speeches, personality, and defiance—even his dramatic rejection of the 2020 election results—resonate with millions. In Trump, many see a reflection of their own bold, unapologetic, and fiercely individualistic identity. He’s not simply tolerated; he’s embraced, because he aligns with a core American essence. Trump embodies values of independence, directness, and a strong stance on the world stage.
For the Caribbean, Trump’s win brings mixed implications. Caribbean leaders still highly value their relationship with the United States and seek a robust partnership. Yet, they may now have to rethink their dependence on the U.S. as a primary economic and strategic ally. This shift could prompt the region to explore new partnerships, building alliances with other global powers like those in BRICS that show a commitment to stable, long-term collaboration.
Globally, this election signals a more inward-looking United States, less inclined to lead and more focused on reshaping its internal priorities. Trump’s America retreats from multilateral alliances and frequently challenges international norms, pursuing policies that prioritize U.S. interests over its traditional role on the world stage.
Domestically, Trump’s victory underscores the paradoxes of American democracy. Democracy is often messy and imperfect, but this election was a genuine expression of the people’s choice. Americans didn’t vote for an idealized, unified vision; they voted for a version of themselves that’s raw, proud, and often resistant to change. This choice reflects deeply held values—freedom, independence, and a mix of pride and tension—all intersecting with historical divisions across race, region, gender, and party lines. America’s democracy remains what it knows best: imperfect, diverse, sometimes divided, yet unbreakably bound by its own evolving identity.
America didn’t just vote for Trump; it voted for a true reflection of itself. Trump embodies a complex and dynamic nation, confident in its ideals—even when they don’t align with the image it projects to the world.
