Whoever wins the White House in November is likely to preside over a diminished US, say some. Picture: Wikipedia Commons
Regardless of who wins November’s US presidential elections, the world will have to deal with a reduced American influence.
That was the assessment of two LaTrobe University academics sent to News Cop ahead of the Tuesday (US time) presidential debate between former president Donald Trump and current Vice President Kamala Harris.
Vice-Chancellor for Fellow and Emeritus Professor of Politics, Professor Dennis Altman has written 15 books exploring sexuality, politics and their inter-relationship in Australia, the United States and globally. A former visiting Professor of Australian Studies at Harvard, he has written broadly on US politics, including the current election.
“If Trump is re-elected, this will give fodder to right-wing forces globally — and may well hand Vladimir Putin a victory over Ukraine,” Professor Altman says.
“If Harris is elected, she will struggle to implement most of her domestic policies unless the Democrats also win control of both houses of Congress, which looks unlikely.
“All we can predict with certainty is a fairly messy and divisive future for the US, which will probably reduce US influence globally,” he warns.
Professor Nick Bisley is the Dean of Humanities and Social Sciences and Professor of International Relations. His research and teaching expertise is in Asia’s international relations, great power politics and Australia’s foreign and defence policy.
“This election will be of immense consequence to the rest of the world,” Prof. Bisley says.
“Trump is promising massive tariffs that will disrupt world trade, threats to friends and foes alike and the distinct chance that Washington will retreat from the world.
“Harris is untried on the global stage; while promising continuity she shares the protectionist instinct of her opponent and is likely to continue a cautious downscaling of America’s global role,” he says.
PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE
Overnight, Harris and Trump faced off in their first televised presidential election debate and clashed on immigration, abortion and foreign policy, according to ABC.
Both candidates accused the other of weakness and lying in the 90-minute war of words.
Former president Trump faced awkward questions about the Republican party’s hardline stance on abortion, his involvement in the January 6 insurrection and his unfounded claims that migrants are were eating pets in Ohio.
Harris had to defend her role as Vice-President in Joe Biden’s administration, including the “chaotic” withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan and the way the country handled the wars in Israel and Ukraine.
The event was the first time Americans got a detailed look at a campaign that changed radically after US President Joe Biden bowed out of the 2024 US election race.
For the debate highlights via the ABC, click here
