The 2024 US election stands out globally, not just for its unusual elements, but for the serious concerns it raises. No matter who wins, this election could further damage America’s reputation as a democratic leader in the eyes of the world.


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The 2024 US presidential election is coming to a close, with the main voting day on November 5. It has been filled with strong disagreements, conflicts and dramatic events. Many worry that America’s democracy — based on ‘Jeffersonian’ ideas about individual rights and people-powered government — could be threatened, depending on the outcome. ‘Jeffersonian’ refers to the beliefs of Thomas Jefferson, one of America’s founding figures. His ideas emphasised the importance of personal freedoms and a government that represents and serves its people, rather than rule over them.


The competition between current Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump has been seen as quite tight. Neither candidate has a clear lead, making the race very close and uncertain. This has made both sides uneasy, as the outcome could go either way.


This fact alone reveals a troubling reality about the poor condition of US democracy today. It shows just how much of a concern the current state of the system is. In a well-established democracy, especially one that calls itself the most powerful in the world—a candidate like Trump should not be so close to winning given how he has disregarded basic standards of decency and broken several laws.


Power Play: A High-Stakes Game


In Trump, the US has a former president who was impeached by Congress twice, in 2019 and 2021. This year, he was also convicted on 34 felony counts and found responsible for sexual abuse in a civil trial. On top of that, he still faces serious charges for keeping secret government documents without permission and for encouraging a mob to attack Capitol Hill. Despite all this, he is close to possibly returning to the White House. During this time, he survived one assassination attempt and avoided another.


At the same time, John F Kelly, his longest-serving chief of staff and a former four-star Marine general, said that Trump fits the description of a ‘fascist’. Kelly told The New York Times that the former president was definitely on the far-right and was an authoritarian. He openly admires dictators, which he has admitted. If a writer made up a story like this and sent it to a publisher, they would probably be laughed at for how unbelievable it is. But, as the South Asia Peace Action Network (Sapan) media points out, this has been real life in America.


In contrast to the controversy surrounding one candidate, Kamala Harris’s rise has been inspiring and historic. She is the first woman and the first with both Indian and Caribbean African heritage, to be nominated by a major political party. However, her rise to this position was also full of unexpected challenges and unlikely events. She joined the race in the final stage of the campaign after President Joe Biden, who would usually be the obvious choice for a second term, had to step down due to concerns about his age affecting his ability to lead.


The Intransigence Of Trump


What makes the 2024 presidential election even more unusual is the ongoing, intense war happening almost 6,000 miles away in the Middle East, involving Israel, Palestine, Lebanon and Iran. The extremely violent Hamas attack on Israel on October 7 last year, followed by Israel’s highly destructive response, has greatly affected the presidential race.


Harris has had the difficult job of balancing America’s strong support for Israel while also speaking up for the rights of the Palestinian people. At the same time, she has faced pressure from the left-leaning members of the Democratic Party, who want her to support the Palestinians more.


Trump, meanwhile, has openly supported Israel, while also trying to win over Muslim American voters. As Trump has taken a strong, almost absolute position in favour of Israel, he has not faced much opposition from within his Republican Party. This is very different from what Harris has had to handle.


Another conflict affecting the election is the Russian invasion of Ukraine, where the Biden-Harris Administration has clearly supported Kyiv. Trump, however, has downplayed the issue, claiming he could solve the conflict in just one day—a ridiculous statement that, surprisingly, still resonates with his supporters.


These wars have exposed the completely opposite foreign policy views of Trump and Harris, leading to clear political consequences for both in the election. Because the US has been involved in conflicts around the world for many years, people in other countries are watching the election closely, feeling both worried and, in some cases, a bit pleased by its struggles.


People are anxious because whoever wins the presidency will impact many countries. But there is also some enjoyment in seeing America laughed at due to the rude and shocking behaviour seen during the campaign. The election results may not be clear on November 6 unless one candidate wins by a large margin. Trump, who still has not admitted his 2020 loss to Biden, and his team are likely to raise many challenges, even if he loses clearly in this election. If Trump loses by a small margin, the response could be even more intense and, possibly, violent.


The international community, especially such countries as China and Russia, which took joy in America’s election issues in 2016, will possibly find even more satisfaction if things go wrong this time. The 2024 US election is especially a matter of concern for the world because of the many strange and unusual events surrounding it, no matter who wins.


 


(Girish Linganna is a Defence and Aerospace Analyst based out of Bengaluru. He is also the Director of ADD Engineering Components, India, Pvt. Ltd, a subsidiary of ADD Engineering GmbH, Germany. The views expressed in this article are of the author only.)