Trump vs Biden: the US Election Race Kicks Off

By Fidelis Ortom (Opinion)

Ten months from now, citizens of the world’s most economically powerful nation will take to the polls to choose a new president – and the two main candidates, Joe Biden and Donald Trump, are familiar to almost everyone around the world. 

The 2024 US selection will see Trump (77) and Biden (81) square off in what some critics have jokingly called a geriatric showdown for the presidency of the United States. Humor aside, the outcome of the next US presidential election will have huge consequences for the world’s biggest economy and all the trading partners, military allies, and rivals that the US has to contend with daily.

As election season kicks into full gear with the upcoming primaries in New Hampshire and Michigan, Trump and Biden continue to trade positions as they compete for the title of number one candidate according to opinion polls.  The latest 538 polling data shows Trump ahead of Biden at 50% vs 48% with pending federal charges and allegations of senility tarnishing the reputations of both candidates respectively.

Ultimately, US voters will be forced to choose between two highly imperfect candidates, but which contender will emerge victorious in November?

Joe Biden: a stable candidate shows signs of weakness

When Joe Biden was elected in 2020, the world breathed a collective sigh of relief. 

Four years of unpredictable comments and actions from Donald Trump, a trade war with China, and an erratic response to the COVID-19 pandemic had painted the real estate Mogul as a president out of his depth, Biden, by contrast, was a died in the wool veteran politician with an intricate knowledge of the workings of Washington DC, and a long and extensive track record of engaging with foreign powers firmly and productively.

Biden’s first term in office has seen several positive developments, including a return to normal life after the pandemic, an economy that has delivered consistent growth, and record-low unemployment. 

At the same time, Americans are struggling to make ends meet due to the biggest cost-of-living crisis in recent memory. The US is also struggling abroad as its foreign policy has been unable to prevent a major war in Israel or deter China from pursuing reunification with Taiwan by force.

While Americans may differ on Biden’s ability to deliver on his promises, one common theme that is becoming problematic for the incumbent president to avoid is his advancing age. 

At 81, Biden is starting to show his years with commentators noting an increase in the number of mistakes the President makes during speeches and normal conversation as well as signs of confusion when the president enters and leaves public venues. 

Donald Trump, four years his junior, has been quick to point out these weaknesses in his opponent as he roasts Biden mercilessly in his campaign speeches. 

But for his criticisms of Joe Biden, Trump is hardly an ideal candidate.

Trump’s past comes back to haunt him

For liberal voters in the United States, the idea of Donald Trump running for president – much less having a chance of winning – probably still seems like the stuff of nightmares. The former president stands accused of election interference (a charge his legal team is trying to have dismissed)  and the mishandling of classified CIA documents which he allegedly removed from the White House and stored at his Mar-a-Lago hotel.  

Leaked photographs showing boxes of classified papers stored in the bathrooms of unoccupied hotel rooms stunned audiences when they were released last year – an incident that Trump has done his best to downplay. For his part, Biden has also been questioned about keeping classified documents in his garage. 

Donald Trump has also been accused politically, but not formally charged, in relation to the capital riots in January 2021 when some of his extreme supporters attempted to disrupt lawmakers as they prepared to swear Joe Biden into office. 

Despite all of these accusations, Donald Trump continues to be a popular choice among Republicans and is currently ahead of Biden in the presidential betting odds at +120. The controversial candidate has told the media that he has no plans to step down and will contest the election with all his energy and resources.

Should Trump be successful in the upcoming election, the world may be in store for four tumultuous years as the unconventional candidate settles his political scores and kicks up new disputes with America’s allies and rivals alike.

2024 elections may herald a new era in global politics 

As Donald Trump and Joe Biden go head-to-head in the upcoming election, voters in the US are faced with two equally unpredictable scenarios: a victory by Biden, which would put an aging and increasingly frail president in the White House, or a return to the wild politics and unpredictable Political tensions of the 2016 to 2020 era under Trump. 

With the latest polls being too close to call, only time will tell which of the two candidates emerges victorious in November. In the meantime, US citizens and people in countries across the world are watching and waiting cautiously as the events of the coming months unfold.

Final thoughts

The 2024 US presidential election presents voters with a difficult choice between two imperfect candidates – incumbent Joe Biden, whose advanced age has led to apparent mental lapses, and former president Donald Trump, who faces accusations of election interference and mishandling classified information, which, surprisingly, doesn’t deprive him of high chances of winning the elections. 

In fact, despite his controversies, Trump currently leads in current polls amidst strong Republican support. If re-elected, his eccentric leadership style is expected to disrupt international relations, yet, regardless of the outcome, the election will have significant implications for the US economy, foreign policy, and America’s standing on the global stage. Overall, voters face a tough decision between two deeply flawed options for the leader of the free world.

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