Donald Trump’s reelection capped a remarkable comeback four years after he was voted out of the White House and ushered in a new American leadership likely to test democratic institutions at home and relations abroad. Trump, 78, recaptured the White House on Wednesday by securing more than the 270 Electoral College votes needed to win the presidency, Edison Research projected, following a campaign of dark rhetoric that deepened the polarization in the country. The former president’s victory in the swing state of Wisconsin pushed him over the threshold.
However, the result has not gone down well with Americans living in Mallorca. American travel writer and filmmaker, Jeff Buchanan told the Bulletin: “It was all summed up fairly simply today when I walked into my regular cafe for my morning coffee, and the waitress, knowing me to be an American, said, ‘I’m so sorry’.
“Yes, I’m sorry too, in ways I couldn’t have fathomed even just yesterday. I thought perhaps the polls were hinting at a hopeful end to this nightmare revisiting of the previous presidency. But the American people have voted. They have decided, that despite their man’s previous term, and the embarrassment of vulgarities of his life since being ousted from office, that they wanted to give him another chance at running the most powerful nation on Earth.
“So, this is what democracy looks like now. When it’s up and running smoothly, after all the bloodshed in creating liberties and freedoms, to create voting, they arrive at a system where the people elect someone who best mirrors the make-up of the country. And thus, they have placed a complete imbecile in the White House.
“As an American I cannot argue or explain it away, all I can do is apologise. Say I’m sorry to you, my beloved Spain, to have witnessed what was once, perhaps, a country of ideals and great influence, to now have driven the final nail into the coffin of decency—by popular vote.
“I had already adopted Spain as my new home, and just secured my residency when all this strangeness ramped up the past few months. I am here now, to stay. Realize that there are a significant number of Americans who don’t align with this. I feel for them, to have to weather the coming tides, the malice, the recklessness. Please know, this is not reflective of all Americans. Still, I am sorry.”
American chef Jeff Harter from Colorado who has lived in Mallorca for 18 years was not impressed either. “I’ so glad in live in Europe and I know plenty of people back in the States who have been telling me that if Trump wins, they’ve leaving the country, So America can expect a big exodus of people to Europe. It’s an unbelievable result, especially as we were all being told it was too close to call. I don’t get it.
“The economy is fantastic, inflation is down and unemployment is low. All this is going to do is crate an even more divided America with Trump not looking after the people, as we Democrats believe in, but siphoning money from public education for his own personal benefit and that of his cronies and other corporate friends. For years I’ve always told people that America is such a beautiful place, the only thing wrong with it are the Americans,” Jeff told the Bulletin. “Who knows what’s going to happen now, we’ll just have to wait and see but there’s no way I’m rushing back to the States now.”
Mike Taylor, an English teacher from Chicago said: “I’m genuinely concerned about the real damage that the second Trump administration will bring. It seems likely that lines will be drawn that will only drive us further apart and reverse the rights that so many people have fought hard to secure. It’s not just about political disagreements; there are global implications from this election. “The only comfort is that will be his last term as President. There’s an end point in sight. We just have to hold on tight, be vigilant, and hope we can come out the side without lasting harm.”
Christina Buchet from Michigan and office manager of the Mallorca Bulletin, also regrets that Kamala Harris did not succeed in becoming the first woman president of the United States. She would have liked Biden to have broken through earlier to give Harris more time to prepare. “Unfortunately, neither of them had enough successes to show for their term in office,” she said.
“Many Americans believed that Trump, in particular, had more to offer on economic issues, which probably gave him the decisive edge in the end.” However, she is also relieved that this will be Trump’s last term in office: “But in the coming years, the US must prepare for a new chapter”.
