The Bitter Taste of Trump’s Victory: Racial, Gender, and Political Implications
On the night of the US election, as the early hours ticked away, CNN’s Van Jones, a political analyst and Black American, described the feeling of Trump’s resurgence with a chilling statement: “It’s bitter in the mouth, the racial and gender dimension of this.” His voice quivered, the weight of a historic and deeply divisive election result hanging in the air. To his side, David Axelrod, former senior adviser to President Barack Obama, appeared almost unaffected by the intensity of the moment, as if trying to maintain a semblance of civility in the face of profound disappointment. Jones, on the other hand, looked as though he might burst into tears. It was 3:10 AM EST, and the hours of exhaustion had stripped away any veneer of objectivity for those who had stayed up all night processing the election results.
The shock was palpable, particularly when the election seemed to be trending toward Harris, with several signs suggesting a shift away from Trump. A surge of positive polls and early support from nontraditional voting blocs had raised hopes for a Democratic victory. However, by 5 AM, those hopes were dashed when a message from a friend in Long Island arrived: “We are going to lose. Fucking insane.” The realization that Trump had once again secured a victory was too much to digest, especially with children starting their day in innocence, unaware of the deepening political chaos their parents were grappling with. As Trump delivered his victory speech from Florida, boasting of Elon Musk and celebrating the supposed success of his administration, the sense of defeat became overwhelming.
Trump’s victory speech, delivered in his usual self-congratulatory style, emphasized the economy and immigration policy, but it was the underlying, unspoken message that would linger long after the cameras stopped rolling. The results demonstrated a striking pattern: a significant portion of white men, along with a surprising number of Latino men, voted in Trump’s favor. NBC exit polls showed that Trump led Harris by 54%-44% among Latino men, and 59% of white men and 52% of white women supported the Republican candidate. In stark contrast, 92% of Black women voted for Harris, while Black men were split, with about 80% choosing Trump.
This election result revealed more than just political divisions. It exposed a stark, uncomfortable reality: many American men, especially white men, could not bring themselves to support a woman, even one as qualified and dynamic as Kamala Harris. The numbers reflected a long-standing gender and racial bias that had been hiding beneath the surface for years. Despite the push for gender equality, many Americans could not overcome the psychological barrier of voting for a female candidate, particularly one who was a woman of color.
On CNN, a Republican strategist made the point that Trump’s win should be viewed as a wake-up call to pay attention to marginalized communities. Yet, as Van Jones poignantly noted, Black women—who have long been overlooked in political discourse—remain unheard once again. The conversation focused on poor, rural white voters, but the experiences and voices of Black women, whose loyalty to Harris was unwavering, were barely acknowledged in mainstream discussions.
What made this election feel even more bitter than 2016 was the fact that there were no longer any excuses for Trump’s behavior. In 2016, many Americans could rationalize their decision to vote for a man who was absurd but offered a sense of novelty. This time, however, the country had witnessed Trump’s actions, his political extremism, his involvement in the January 6th insurrection, and his numerous legal challenges. There was no longer a veil to pull over the ugliness of his policies. His victory, and the return of figures like Ted Cruz, Josh Hawley, and Lauren Boebert, signaled a shift toward a more toxic, authoritarian political climate.
For those watching from abroad, there was a brief moment of solace. A friend in the UK messaged, “We got out in time. Fucker says he’s got a mandate from God.” Yet, for most Americans, the victory was incomprehensible. A friend working in media texted, “This doesn’t feel real.” The sense of disbelief mirrored the collective feeling of helplessness that pervaded the country after the September 11 attacks, another moment in history when reality seemed too unbearable to face.
As the news broke, the world woke up to the realization of what Trump’s victory truly meant. The New York Times headline screamed, “Trump Storms Back,” and in many ways, the word “storm” was a fitting metaphor for the chaos that would undoubtedly follow. Trump’s insistence that this moment in history might hold significant importance, though flattery to his supporters, resonated deeply—perhaps more ominously than ever before. What happens next in the political landscape remains uncertain, but one thing is clear: the legacy of this election will haunt the United States for years to come.
