We talked with some students who did not agree to share their opinions.
Donald Trump made his comeback to the Oval Office, sealing 295 electoral college votes, far more than the 270 needed to win, and leaving many St. Edward’s University students with a lump in their throats.
“I think it’s disgusting that he not only won the electoral votes, but also the popular majority vote in America,” marketing senior Krista Sayre said. “My first reaction was to grieve what we’ve known as a country and to grieve (for) minorities in America: women, trans people, LGBTQ+ class – every minority.”
Several Hilltoppers are disappointed with the 2024 election results and are concerned with the Republican party’s possible control over both houses of Congress. The Grand Old Party dominates the U.S. Senate with 52 seats over 45, while the control of the U.S. House of Representatives remains unclear, Republicans already count 206 votes to 191 of Democrats.
“This means that whatever they want to pass in the first two years will get passed,” international relations and political science junior Camila Colin said. “I don’t see a way that Republican policies will get stopped. As a woman, my rights, my body, and as a Mexican with a dad who is an immigrant, I’m concerned – very concerned for the people in my community.”
Students are also preoccupied with the Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025, which proposes a radical transformation of the federal government. While Trump’s affiliation with the movement is unclear, the Heritage Foundation was among the first groups to congratulate him on his win.
“The biggest concern that I have is Project 2025 coming into action,” Sayre said. “Specifically taking away women’s right to health care – horrified. That’s something that’ll affect me. Taking away gay marriage – horrified. That’s something that will affect me. Taking away climate policy. That will affect all of us: students, older generations, everyone.”
Hilltoppers also worry about Trump reshaping the education system and cutting federal funds for students. The Education Department is a pillar for education affordability, providing more than $120 billion to approximately 13 million students.
“They want to exterminate, or they want to take down the Department of Education so kids will be denied access to education,” Colin said. “That’s just completely saddening. The youth is the future of the country, and the fact that they want to deprive the country of a progressing future is concerning.”
However, some students, like finance senior Colby Green, find benefit in Trump’s future economic policies.
“The next administration’s policies would probably make the economy better for the country,” Green said. “The futures market shot up just with the news of Trump’s reelection, and traditionally, if you look at markets, they shoot up whenever Republicans take office. Usually, they’ve put more effort into it than the Democrats, at least in the past few years.”
Green also recognizes that some groups will be more affected than others, “But I’m not in those groups, so I think it’s a lot more positive outlook for my demographic than those.”
