The future US President Donald Trump was able to record increases in votes in almost all voter groups in the presidential election, especially among minorities such as blacks and Latinos. Catholics also voted for the Republican with a clear majority – unlike in 2020, when they narrowly preferred Democrat Joe Biden.
The long-time US diplomat and intimate expert on the Republicans, Todd Huizinga, sees the election results as an opportunity for a new coalition of voters that could give the Republicans dominance in American politics for a long time. In a detailed conversation with the “Tagespost”, Huizinga says that Trump’s election victory even offers the opportunity to create a more unified America, as “the Republicans are winning over voters who would otherwise vote for the Democrats, from all social classes and all ethnic groups, including women and by men”.
Huizinga: Trump needs to be more diplomatic
According to Huizinga, whether such a phase of longer Republican dominance actually comes about depends on several factors, ultimately above all on Trump himself. The 78-year-old has already shown courage with several decisions in the past, as only he has before him few Republicans have shown – for example, to withdraw from the Paris climate agreement, to move the Israeli embassy to Jerusalem or to oblige NATO partners to pay their contributions. At the same time, Trump has to change: “He has to appear more understanding and diplomatic – also towards other Republicans.” If Trump succeeds in establishing good, harmonious cooperation between the members of the House of Representatives, the senators and the team in the White House, he can do an incredible amount to reach. “That would perhaps pave the way for longer Republican dominance.”
Photo: private | Todd Huizinga served as an American diplomat from 1992-2012, including in Germany, Ireland and Luxembourg.
The key to overcoming the country’s divisions, according to Huizinga, who worked in the diplomatic service from 1992 to 2012, including several years in Europe, is to accept certain basic rules. “This includes adhering to the constitution and respecting the separation of powers. And not to talk about the other political side as if they were enemies.” Huizinga sees the main blame for thinking in terms of enemy images “clearly on the side of the Democrats. More and more often they do not respect the rules of the constitution and the separation of powers.”
The Democrats are creating enemy images
If you follow the statements of Democrats, you often get the impression: “Anyone who wants to better control immigration is xenophobic. Anyone who defends heterosexual marriage between a man and a woman, anyone who considers the traditional family with father, mother and children to be the best model, is homophobic.” It is not homophobic to believe in traditional values, which almost all of Western society believes in I have believed this for centuries, says Huizinga. “The Democrats should make arguments, but not accuse their political opponents of being bad people.”
Huizinga rejects the justification for Democrat Kamala Harris’ election defeat that the USA is simply not yet ready to elect a woman to the presidency: “This is another attempt by the politically correct to encourage people who think differently and who vote differently Criticize.” This would imply that they are fundamentally against women. But Huizinga says: “If Margaret Thatcher had been a presidential candidate in the USA, then 90 percent of Trump voters would have loved to vote for her. It’s not about whether you’re a man or a woman – it’s about politics.”
At the same time, the long-time diplomat looks soberly at Trump and his character: Trump has a polarizing personality. “He’s very abrupt, has a big mouth, he just says what he thinks – even if you don’t like it.” That’s how he polarizes people. Huizinga literally: “If he wants to actually be the president of all Americans, he can’t always say derogatory things about his political opponents.” Unlike many Republican supporters at the moment, Huizinga sees Trump’s behavior after the lost election in 2020 and in particular January 6, 2021, when Trump’s supporters stormed the Capitol as a “huge mistake.” Of course, Trump himself did not take part in the storming of the Capitol. “But the fact that Trump allowed himself to be dragged along to a certain extent was the biggest mistake of his presidency.” DT/ml
What does Huizinga think needs to be at the top of Trump’s agenda now? Does he see the president-elect as a conservative? What does he expect from JD Vance? Read the detailed interview in the upcoming issue of the “Tagespost”.
