A Clare academic fears the re-election of Donald Trump is “a step backwards” for Ireland when it comes to foreign direct investment.
The Republican presidential nominee is set to return for his second spell in the White House as multiple media outlets have now called the election in his favour.
It brings to an end a US presidential race which saw two assassination attempts, a major party change its candidate mid-campaign for the first time and what’s been described as the greatest level of division between the two parties since the Civil War.
Now, Donald Trump has made history once again, becoming the first convicted felon to hold the the office, the only commander-in-chief to be re-elected after being impeached, and just the second person to serve two non-consecutive presidential terms.
The race appeared to be neck-and-neck for the last number of weeks but decisive wins in a number of key swing states of have given the 45th and soon-to-be 47th President of the United States a projected win of 276 electoral votes to Kamala Harris’s 223.
Addressing supporters in Florida this morning, Trump has promised a new “golden age” for the nation.
While world leaders have been quick to congratulate the President-elect, not everyone is welcoming the news.
Even after Trump declared victory hours ago, the Harris campaign stated it was holding out hope, having voiced confidence going into Election Night that its candidate would reach the required 270 votes.
This tourist visiting Clare from Connecticut is “shocked” by the outcome.
The global conversation has now turned to what a second Trump presidency will look like.
The Doonbeg hotelier has often claimed he could end the war in Ukraine “in one day” but says he would achieve this but stopping all aid to Kyiv,
Speaking outside Government buildings this morning, Tánaiste and Minister for Defence and Foreign Affairs Micheál Martin insists people shouldn’t read too much into what Trump said during his campaign.
A key talking point of Trump’s campaign has been his ambition to, in his words, “take American jobs back”, by enticing US companies based in countries like Ireland to return home.
52% of Ireland’s corporation tax receipts last year came from just ten companies, the majority of which are US firms.
Newmarket-on-Fergus native and Professor of Politics at the School of Law and Government at Dublin City University Donnacha Ó Beacháin predicts Ireland could suffer a considerable economic blow if Trump follows through on his pledge.
You can listen to the full interview here:
