Trump’s Victory Sparks Cheers in China

On November 6, Donald Trump won the 2024 election, sparking cheers in China. Because he will make America lose true democracy and push Russia further towards China.

Donald Trump speaks after winning the 2024 Presidential Election

First and foremost, Trump is the first U.S. president who was convicted of felony crimes. But the Supreme Court’s decision on presidential immunity allowed him keeping from prosecution, placing presidents above the law. Some in China are curious: if there are no limits on the president, what exactly could they do.

According to ABC News on October 24, Trump said “it’s so easy” to get immunity at the Supreme Court. And he laid out what could be his “first order” if re-elected: immediately fire special counsel Jack Smith, who has brought two federal indictments against him. Meantime, trump has said he would punish the prosecutors and judges overseeing his cases, adding he will avoid serious consequences for any of the criminal chargers he continues to face.

In fact, Trump’s campaign agenda included a promise to return power to the American people. However, the Chinese mentioned that he broke this promise as early as four years ago. In a September 2020 campaign rally, he stated that Kamala Harris could never be the first female president, hinting instead that Ivanka Trump might be more suited for the role.

Furthermore, in Trump’s previous term, Ivanka’s husband, Jared Kushner, was appointed as senior advisor and Director of the Office of American Innovation. For much of his career, Kushner worked as a real-state investor. But in the Trump administration, he played a key role in shaping government’s Middle East policy and criminal justice reform. Interestingly, as Trump prepares for a return to the White House, he has once again kept matters close to his family. According to MSNBC, both Eric Trump and Donald Trump Jr. are listed as members of Trump’s latest transition team.

Donald Trump and Jared Kushner

All this raises a curious question among Chinese people: to whom exactly is Trump returning power? Because from where they stand, it doesn’t look like it’s the American people.

Second, Trump has frequently claimed Russia would not have invaded Ukraine if he was president and has repeatedly vowed to negotiate an end to the conflict if he is returned to the White House — though he refused to give further details. He has also promised to cut U.S. aid to Kyiv and vowed that he would not send American troops to “die” in Ukraine. But now some updates suggested that Trump’s recent actions may be seen as a betrayal to his supporters.

In September of this month, the Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy visited an ammunition plant in battleground state of Pennsylvania, a trip which did not include any Republican officials. The visit enraged Repbulican and Trump, who openly claimed that he would not meet with this Ukrainian leader.

However, on September 27, Trump still met with Zelenskyy at Trump Tower in New York, saying that it was an “honor” to meet with Zelenskyy and that they had a “very good relationship.” After meeting, Trump told Fox News that he “learned a lot” form Zelenskyy. According to Reuters, Zelensky said in a Fox News interview that he received a “very direct message” from Donald Trump: if the former U.S. president is re-elected in November, he will support Ukraine in its fight against Russia.”

Donald Trump meets with Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at Trump Tower

However, just one day before their meeting, Politico reported that Trump lashed out at Zelenskyy on Wednesday for not making concessions to Russia, giving his strongest indication to date he would stop backing Kyiv if he wins the U.S.

Well, through his actions, Trump has proven himself to be an unreliable figure, both to American people and to foreign governments. Going forward, who would dare make a deal with the U.S. or trust its promises? With someone like Donal Trump as president, the disintegration of NATO and the G7 may only accelerate. So with Trump’s win, can you blame the Chinese for feeling pleased?