It is not just Muslims living in the US who are apprehensive about the future. Hispanic, LGBT, Jewish and other groups have also raised their fears about a Trump presidency though, there are some within these communities who have joined the Trump bandwagon. Of those who have engaged with Trump’s campaigns and administration, they do so knowing that Trump has no political experience since he has never held political office, yet he has got this far and that cannot be brushed aside.
What is clear is that Trump’s future is based on being a President for all communities and he cannot be seen to be partisan and divisive, which is easy to say, giving his penchant for 140 characters on Twitter and statements that have reduced trust in him from some minority groups, whilst lambasting mainstream press agencies in the US. His recent outburst at CNN for promoting ‘fake news’ left many aghast and showed a combative approach that does not instil and build confidence on a wider level. The more Trump is seen to be aggressive on camera, the greater the polarisation of opinions about him, not only in the US, but across the globe. This is not good for national stability and instability means that community tensions will come out to the foreground.
Nor can we simply write off Trump as someone who simply tapped into disaffection to win the Presidency. His ability to ‘speak to’ and play on the fears of marginalised white (and other) communities in the US, means that he has a base and an audience which he can rally when he wants and particularly when Trump can’t get his own way.
The next four years will certainly be turbulent, yet they will also be exciting. There is, however, one thing we can be certain of. America will continue to be divided along lines of race, economic deprivation and social exclusion. If Trump can reduce the impacts of the last two, he can start to try and address the deep racial divides that coarse within rural America. These are fault-lines that seem intractable, but with vision, energy, a willingness to listen and reaching out to communities, anything can be overcome.
So its “goodbye Obama” and “hello Trump”.