The Associated Press (AP) announced that Donald J. Trump had been selected as the 47th President of the United States, leading him into his second Republican non-consecutive term on Nov. 6, 2024. This call was made after Trump’s victory in Wisconsin, pushing him over the 270 electoral votes in contrast to his Democratic appointment, Vice President Kamala Harris.
The Monmouth student body has had various mixed emotions following this announcement. Multiple student leaders have stepped up to discuss Trump’s upcoming president and its effects on their club’s missions and their peers.
Giavanna Cangialosi, President of the College Republicans, reflected on the moment when she heard that Trump was to return to office. “When I found out after 1 a.m. that Donald J. Trump won the presidential election, I was very relieved,” she started. “I also was very excited because I knew at that moment, the next four years would be a complete change. I was not shocked at all by the amount in which he won, I truly believe that the number of electoral votes he received showed that the American people had enough, they made themselves heard that night, especially the quiet Republicans and the Democrats who changed their minds and voted for Trump instead of Harris.”
Cangialosi admitted that she has nothing but excitement for this presidency. “If I were to answer with everything that I’m excited about,” she said, “this answer would be three pages long. With that being said, let me answer this with things not everyone talks about. First off, I am excited about world peace. Throughout Biden’s term, Russia attacked Ukraine to the fullest extent, Russia NEVER did that under Trump’s term. Ukrainian civilians have faced death when it was never deserved.”
She then proceeded to talk about the war between Israel and Hamas, citing a good friend of hers who is currently in Israel training to serve in the IDF. “I text her on a daily basis to make sure she is okay,” she said. “Every day, I think about Naama Levy, an Israeli woman around my age being taken by Hamas, with the blood on her sweatpants being taken away, fearing for her life. Both Israeli and Palestinian civilians are losing their lives. The day after Trump won the presidential election, Hamas immediately called to end the war, THIS IS HUGE.”
Cangialosi continued, “The second reason, I’m excited to see justice for Laken Riley, closing our border and putting strict laws again. Laken Riley was around the same age as me, she was a beautiful nursing student, who had a path to success. Her life was BRUTALLY taken away by Jose Ibarra, a Venezuelan illegal migrant who crossed the border unlawfully in 2022. There was no motive for Laken Riley’s murder, Ibarra was just ‘out for blood.’ Please remember there is a difference between legal and illegal immigration. We need strict border laws again so we don’t have another Laken Riley, Jocelyn Nungaray, Rachel Morin, or many more victims.”
When asked about the downfalls of Trump’s win, Cangialosi didn’t focus on him, but rather on the downfalls of the media that will follow his return to office. She said, “What I’m not excited for simply, does not have anything to do with Trump, it’s about the media. I’m not excited about the amount of misinformation that will be spread about Trump to make people fear him and what his next move will be. This is why I emphasize the importance of doing research, because once media channels spread misinformation around, it will be believed, and uproar will occur.”
Owen Bros, President of the College Democrats, shared his opposing reaction to hearing about the victory of President Trump. “[It was] crushing,” he began. “Being president of a club on campus that is diverse with many of my members being women, students of color, and lower class, it was a very tough night knowing that I must fight harder to protect those close to me.”
Bros admitted that he wasn’t shocked at the amount in which he won. He said, “It wasn’t so much that he won, more so that Democrats lost. He overperformed in virtually every state, county, and demographic largely because Democrats simply did not cater to what voters were voting on. The parties have realigned completely in this election, and Democrats have a lot of soul searching to do before the next elections in 2026.”
Bros continued, “We are already seeing price hikes by corporations, which will affect large swathes of normal Americans. There is the potential for a 7-2 conservative majority, taking back even more civil rights. It is important, however, for people to realize mutual aid and community are now more important than ever when so many people are faced with what cannot be described as anything else other than grief,” Bros concluded.
Brendan Sheehan, the politics editor for “The Outlook,” admitted he was shocked by the amount in which Trump won. “Virtually every county swung to Trump’s advantage, and Republicans in down-ballot races overperformed by record numbers,” he recounted. “Democrats on virtually every level got blown out in what was expected to be a toss-up election where any party could take control of Congress or the presidency. In the end, Republicans did better than expected everywhere, and I think the Democratic Party needs to take a moment of introspection and figure out what went wrong.”
Sheehan continued, “I did not vote for Donald Trump, but I hope he continues his calls for unity he began following the attempt on his life. America is in a deeply divided place, and it needs a leader to unite it or we face a dark path forward where division and political violence run rampant in our country. I do believe many of his policies are regressive and will take us backward. I would say I am worried most about our standing in the world and the stability of our alliances at such a critical time for allies and adversaries alike.”
One topic on Trump’s agenda that affects college students directly is his plans with the Department of Education. “As a student with FAFSA loans, I’m worried his plan to eliminate the Department of Education will result in lower, if any, FAFSA funds for me and millions of students across the United States,” Sheehan added.
Lauren Bevacqua, senior English and education student and Features editor for “The Outlook,” discussed her concern for Trump’s presidency as a future educator. She said, “I am terrified of the possible elimination of the Department of Education. While previous presidents have tried to take it down before, the possibility seems greater this time. I do think it would take a large amount of effort to take down an entire government agency; therefore, I do not think the Department of Education will be going anywhere any time soon. If he does not take down the Department of Education, he, or the Senate, may propose laws that directly affect the Department. With Trump’s track record with outlandish beliefs, these laws may be radical and do not align with the values educators have.”
Various topics in this election consisted of the goals of various on-campus clubs and organizations. Some of these consisted of social justice concerns, the climate crisis, and journalism. One specifically was the topic of race, and how Trump’s term will affect the lives and treatment of minorities.
Alexa Ford, the President of STEM UP Students of Color, responded to finding out about the second election of Trump. Ford commented, “I woke up [that] morning and saw on social media that Trump had won the 2024 election. I am incredibly disappointed and heartbroken for America that somehow there are enough people who believe that a convicted felon and sex offender is more fit for office than a woman who has served the American public valiantly.”
STEM UP Students of Color is an organization whose goal is to build a community among students of color in the STEM field. Ford noted that the election of Trump worries her and the future of her organization. “I am nervous about how Trump’s next term will impact the number of minorities who will have access to higher education to pursue fields in science, technology, engineering, and math,” she said. She referenced how Trump’s Justice Department signaled a potential rollback of affirmative action in college admissions, disproportionately affecting black, Latino, and Native American students who rely on such programs to access higher education. “In addition,” she continued, “Trump’s ideologies regarding immigration will most likely impact a large portion of students who are Latino or Hispanic. I am grateful that my grandmother was able to successfully immigrate to America 40 years ago, but now I am terrified for immigrants seeking refuge or those who do not have full citizenship currently.”
The journalist values of “The Outlook” were also a topic of conversation this election. Sheehan said, “In terms of journalism, Trump has called the media, ‘the enemy of the people’ and more recently said he was going to investigate media companies he does not like or agree with. It is up to journalists and the press to serve as the guardrails for our democracy for the next four years, and we must continue to trust and listen to them. An independent and free press is critical to the stability of American democracy, and they must have the freedom and ability to do their jobs and serve as a watchdog for those in power.”
Zafira Demiri, the Climate Change Learning Collaborative (CCLC) graduate assistant, recalled her reaction to hearing about Trump’s landslide. “I was genuinely shocked,” she said. “Like many, I thought this election would be much closer regardless of who may have won. Trump used (what I believe to be) fearmongering tactics like immigration to secure the presidency, and I would argue many of these were deeply xenophobic if not racist. It showed me that a large portion of this country is deeply neglectful of issues which are of the utmost importance, like environmental justice and women’s rights.”
The CCLC’s mission is to educate students on climate change and its immediate effects on our planet. “Trump has called climate change a hoax, and although he hasn’t used this specific term lately, it remains prevalent in his policies,” Demiri said. “His plan is to make business as easy and profitable for Big Oil as possible (as he proved in removing the US from the Paris Agreement, which Biden thankfully reversed). The oil industry is the largest opponent that scientists, environmental advocates, and ordinary people face in the fight to protect climate justice. This is all to say, Trump is what we call an accelerationist, placing capital gains over environmental protection at any risk. It’s truly disturbing.”
Monmouth’s Black Student Union (BSU) head of public relations Jessica Taylor spoke out on Trump’s win and its effects on the goals of BSU. “Trump’s win has made the mission of our club even more important: providing a space for students- especially Black students- on campus to feel comfortable and celebrated. During divisive elections at a PWI, Black students may feel alienated by some of their peer’s attitudes and political beliefs. The BSU aims to maintain its status as a safe space for minority students and continue to encourage diversity and inclusion on campus.”
Taylor contiued, “As a young, mixed race, half black daughter of an immigrant and veteran, I find very little common ground between myself and the president elect’s proposed policies. However, I can only be hopeful for a good future for myself and future generations.”
Margaret McNeil, President of the Real Estate Club, also commented on Trump’s win. She said, “The news of Trump winning the election has disturbed me since I heard it. I am feeling embarrassed for our country and our future. I was shocked about the amount that he won. Especially after he insulted so many groups of people, I thought that maybe his remarks about the black population, immigrants, women, Muslims, (and sadly I can use) etc. would have turned off some of his supporters.
“I am not looking forward to this presidency,” she continued. “I hate Donald Trump, and I hate JD Vance. I am genuinely scared as a young woman. I’m also scared about how America’s perception will change on a global scale. Come January we will have Donald Trump to represent us as the strongest nation in the world. The felon, rapist, abuser, sexist, misogynistic, racist, rude, and unintelligent man is going to be the voice of the United States of America.”
Monmouth University’s Social Justice Club aims to raise awareness about social injustices, such as racial and gender equality. Its President Taylor Johnson-Bradley and Treasurer Kristen Frawley, expressed their concerns about Trump’s upcoming presidency. Johnson-Bradley started, “I was very emotional and just generally at a loss for words. I cannot believe someone with his morals, beliefs, criminal history as a felon, and lack of qualifications will be the next president.” She continued, “I was shocked that he won the popular vote. It just shows how many people in this country have the same beliefs and morals that he does.”
Frawley voiced similar concerns about the upcoming presidency. “I am not looking forward to what he does with the power he has been given,” she said. “I fear for women, I fear for children and their chance at a fair education, I fear for immigrants and the families of immigrants, I fear for the Black community who receives the worst of law enforcement abuse, and more.”
Frawley added, “I am not looking forward to having my own fundamental rights debated by people who have no idea what they are talking about. I have heard some say that Kamala Harris would not be fit for the presidency because her period will make her do irrational and emotionally motivated things. Ignoring the blatant sexism of the statement, if you think a woman who is 60 years old is getting her period regularly, you should not be in this conversation at all. I feel violated in every way when I remember the sexual assault allegations Trump has and that still the majority of Americans felt he was fit for the presidency. It makes me feel disgusted and it reminds me of what it is like to be a woman in a man’s world.”
