Trump’s blatant disregard for democracy

Donald Trump’s recent victories in Iowa and New Hampshire put him ahead in the race to be the Republican candidate for the 2024 US presidential election.

We asked our supporters for their views on what a Trump win could mean for democracy. We received just under 6,000 responses.

A resounding 87% of our supporters said that Trump is a danger to democracy.  83% said they thought that Trump will not accept the results of the election if they do not go his way.

This is not surprising when Trump has shown a blatant disregard for democracy time and time again.

Trump refuses to accept the result of the 2020 Presidential election and continues to make baseless claims of electoral fraud. He is also on trial for conspiring to unlawfully change the outcome of the 2020 Presidential election in Georgia.

His recent statements suggest that a second Trump presidency would be a disaster for democracy in the US. He told crowds in Iowa that he will be a dictator on “day one” of his second term as president. He openly plans to use presidential powers to settle scores with enemies.

We asked our supporters whether they feel optimistic or pessimistic about the 2024 US Presidential election. 81% of our supporters said they feel pessimistic about the 2024 presidential election, and only 10% feel optimistic.

Here’s some of the reasons why our supporters feel pessimistic –

•  "It doesn't seem to matter to the public in the USA that Donald Trump has several convictions and is not fit to be president of the USA"

• "Not sure Biden is the man for the job, the polls show he is doing poorly against Trump and I think he needs to face up to the fact that, unfortunately, his age is seen as a major problem."

•   "Despite everything Trump has done he somehow still has quite substantial support."

On the other hand, here's why some supporters feel optimistic -

• "Biden will beat Trump.  Trump has lost a lot of the support he had in 2020."

• "In Ohio only one third of Republicans voted and he only got 15% of the vote. Only one third of Americans would vote for him in the general election."

• "Eventually when the American people find Trump is found guilty in a criminal court they will know that he is unworthy to hold an Official Office"

As it stands, the polls are close, and anything can happen between now and November.

One concern is that if democracy is undermined in the United States, it could destabilise other democracies worldwide.

58% of our supporters believe a Trump win in 2024 will have a 'very big' impact on other democracies worldwide. 32% believe a Trump win could have a 'quite big' impact on other democracies.

 Here’s some of the reasons they gave –

•  "It would be bad news all round and encourage all other right wing extremists across the world" 

• "He will likely show authoritarian tendencies and right wing parties in other democracies will be emboldened as a result."

• "He will empower Russia, and will turn his back on Ukraine"

• "America matters.  So if America aligns itself with Russia and against Ukraine for example, Europe as a whole will suffer.  Russia may invade other countries in Europe."

In just nine months, the American people will cast their votes for the next President.  Only time will tell what the result means for democracy in the US and worldwide.

One thing for sure is that hundreds of millions of people across the globe will be closely watching.