The United States is facing a election year like never before. Everything points to a rematch of the election campaign between the current President Joe Biden and his predecessor Donald Trump, who tried to undo his defeat three years ago with violence and brought the country to the brink of a constitutional crisis with the unprecedented storm of his supporters on the US Capitol. Much is at stake, accordingly.
Trump could again try to question the integrity of the election, incite his base, and create chaos around the vote. Above all, he must face four criminal trials in the election year, including for his campaign against the election outcome in 2020. It has never happened before in the US that a former President and presidential candidate must take a seat in the dock, and whether Trump is convicted or acquitted – both will put the country’s constitutional system to an unprecedented test.
Trump and Biden both face special challenges in the coming months. One they share. An overview:
Biden’s Challenges
The Global Situation
Biden faces several international crises. Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza could escalate into a larger conflict in the region: Attacks by Iran-backed groups against US forces in the Middle East have increased. The Democrat is likely to do everything in his power to prevent America from being drawn into a war. In the face of the high number of civilian casualties among Palestinians, Biden’s rigorous support for Israel also faces great criticism in parts of the US population. He could thereby alienate voters sustainably. Russia’s war against Ukraine also divides the USA: support for the immense US aid is waning. Biden therefore faces difficulty in continuing his course of unconditional support for Kiev, especially because an end is nowhere in sight.
The Economy
With the end of the Corona crisis and the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, prices rose in the USA. In the summer of 2022, inflation in the world’s largest economy reached a 40-year high of over nine percent. Although the inflation rate has since decreased significantly, this means that high prices continue to rise moderately. Biden is only partially responsible for the high consumer prices and the labor market looks good too. However, when people in the USA can afford less and less with their money, they typically blame the current president. In addition, there is the battle of the Federal Reserve against inflation with the drastic increase in the benchmark interest rate. Interest rates for loans have skyrocketed as a result.
The Age
Biden became the oldest president of all time to enter the White House. He is now 81 years old, he would be 82 at the start of a second term, and 86 at the end of his presidency. The most powerful man in the world regularly stumbles in appearances, searches for words, confuses numbers, places, and people. The frequent faux pas provide the Republicans with constant fodder to publicly question his mental fitness for the highest office in the United States. But even in his own party, enthusiasm for his re-election campaign is restrained for this reason.
The Son
For a long time, Hunter Biden has been making headlines: with years of alcohol addiction, drug addiction, or shady dealings.Trades. In the interim, there are two accusations against the 53-year-old – for breaches of the arms law and for tax offenses. Delicate details have come to light in the course of the investigations. The public prosecutor’s office lists expenses for narcotics, exotic dancers, and luxury hotels. Criminal charges against the son of a sitting US president are highly unusual, if not unprecedented. In the electoral campaign, it provides the Republicans with ample material for political assaults. In addition, the son’s opaque transactions have also earned Joe Biden inquiries in the House of Representatives for a potential impeachment process. Although it has no prospect of success, it also offers plenty of vulnerabilities.
The Challenges for Trump
The Legal Proceedings
Trump is in the midst of the election campaign facing four indictments in criminal proceedings – two of them related to his efforts to reverse the outcome of the 2020 presidential election. Although the charges and even a possible prison sentence do not prevent Trump from running for the highest office in the state – and it is also unclear when the verdicts will be issued. However, several trials begin in the election year. They are likely to not only engage the Republicans in terms of time, but also stir up a lot of unwanted dust. In addition, there are also civil proceedings that could cost Trump a lot of money and prestige.
The Age
The advanced age is actually a recurring topic for Biden. However, Trump is no longer the youngest either. If the 77-year-old were to be re-elected, he would be the oldest president ever to enter the White House at 78 years and seven months. And the Republican also sometimes seems a bit confused: He recently mistakenly referred to the Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban as the Turkish head of state. Biden is also often mistaken for the former US President Barack Obama by the Republican. However, Trump is never short of an excuse – and simply claims that he confuses the two Democrats intentionally.
The Competitors
It is currently assumed that Trump will win his party’s candidacy. In polls, he seems to be unassailably ahead. His only serious rival so far, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, recently lost a significant amount of popularity. In contrast, Trump’s former US ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, is gaining approval in polls. Yes, the gap to Trump with nearly 50 percentage points is huge. However, anything is possible in the election campaign. And the candidate will only be finally selected in the summer.
