It’s showtime again for Trump. Graphic by Zach Perrier ’25.
Voice Staff Editorial
The entire student body here at Wooster has lived in the shadow of Donald Trump’s America for at least a third of their lives. Despite the past four years under the Biden administration, Trump’s rhetoric and supporters have only increased their sphere of influence in politics since his 2016 meteoric rise to the presidency.
Yet Trump, after barreling through a sluggish debate performance, an assassination attempt and a litany of court cases, has won the presidential election. Trump was elected even after being convicted by a New York jury in May, adding to a list of broken precedents for the president-elect.
And although — as of writing — the House is too early to call, the GOP now has control of both the Senate and the Supreme Court. Trump focused his message on a simple question: were you better off now than you were four years ago? In return, we ask: what will a second Trump term bring to America?
We accept the results of this election, as we must have faith in our country’s electoral process. What we do not accept is the hateful rhetoric of the president-elect and his policies that target historically marginalized groups. We grieve and stand in solidarity with those who are feeling the weight of this election most acutely.
Though president-elect Trump has dodged questions about many of his policies and the implementation of the Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025 platform — at times denying his connection to it — many have been left stewing over what the next four years will look like in terms of rights for women, LGBTQ+ people, immigrants, people of color and many more historically oppressed groups.
Abortion access is an issue on the Project 2025 chopping block. Its goal is to reinstate an 1873 law, the Comstock Act, banning all abortion medications, materials or equipment from being sent through the U.S. Postal Service. Everyone with a uterus is living with the possibility that they will have fewer reproductive rights than those who came before them, a bleak reality that is difficult to swallow for many.
Trump’s proposed elimination of the Department of Education — a decision that would dissolve FAFSA and overhaul Title IX protections — would change the face of education in this country. Protections for students who need Individualized Education Plans and more specialized support would no longer exist, leaving many students to sink in a system that should be designed to serve them.
The lives and livelihoods of LGBTQ+ Americans are also threatened by a second Trump administration. Much of the advertisement spending from the Trump campaign and pro-Trump groups — up to 41% in October — was spent on anti-trans messaging, especially about children and athletes receiving gender-affirming care. Trump’s first term has been characterized as one of the worst for LGBTQ+ rights in recent history, and many advocates expect his second term to be even worse.
Ultimately, it is fair to assume students are afraid. It is jarring to see the actions and precautions students are taking to ensure their safety, such as looking into the fine print of their visas and booking appointments for emergency IUD insertions. Additionally, the Trevor Project, a crisis lifeline for LGBTQ+ youth, saw a 700% increase in calls, texts and chats on Nov. 6.
Last year, the Voice’s Science & Environment section asked Wooster students about their thoughts on our climate’s future, and those responses feel more relevant than ever. Trump’s prospective second term will have far-reaching consequences for the youngest generations of Americans — in part due to the former president’s preparations to pull America out of the Paris Climate Agreement and lackadaisical approach to curbing climate change.
Trump, with all his influence in American politics, is just one man. But his influence has had far reaching consequences on the trust Americans have in one another and in their government. His incendiary rhetoric and influence has led to hate crimes and acts of violence, from firebombing a drag story hour to storming the Capitol. These acts were not committed to fight for hard-earned rights of Americans but in spite of those hard-earned rights.
While many of us are still coming to terms with Trump’s victory, not all of us can say we are surprised. This has shifted our focus to the future and to building community, coalitions and relationships across partisan lines.
We are a newsroom made up of students from everywhere. As a collective, we worry about the future of our fellow student journalists who want to continue reporting in this atmosphere. Our leadership as a student-run media source on campus should not have to be exhausting, but in the wake of the results of the election, it is hard not to feel constantly burnt out from separating fact and fiction.
As a newsroom, we will continue to bring the most up-to-date information about Wooster’s campus and the surrounding areas to you as much as we can. We will continue to fact-check and hold on-campus authorities accountable. We will continue doing our job — even if it gets hard to do so in the wake of a new presidential administration that seems to hold little to no regard towards student journalism and our rights. We will continue our work, just as we always have.
We encourage this campus to take action in the ways that they see fit. Remembering the historical impact of social movements that thrived on collective action is especially empowering at this time. The future may be uncertain, but our goals should not be.