Donald Trump has successfully regained control of the United States executive branch. What this result means for St Andrews, Scotland, and the rest of the world remains a mystery. Representatives across the UK have, however, offered their own responses.
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With the significant number of American students at St Andrews, the 2024 American election was bound to be on the minds of many students at the university. However, the subsequent re-election of Donald Trump has seemed to push the political chaos of the United States to the forefront of even more students’ minds. While some are elated over the news, many students have become disillusioned, half-jokingly stating that they are looking into UK citizenship.
The response from the UK government was swift and routine. While the Prime Minister quickly called Mr. Trump to offer his congratulations on the “historic victory” of his campaign, newly-elected Conservative Leader Kemi Badenoch scolded him in parliament for the Labour Party’s treatment of Trump.
In particular, Badenoch called attention to the comments of Foreign Minister David Lammy which referred to Trump as a “woman-hating, neo-nazi sympathising sociopath” and denounced the comment as “derogatory.”
Though previous Conservative leaders like Boris Johnson have criticised Trump’s decision to deny the results of the 2020 election, Badenoch wasted no time in congratulating Trump. Her warm embrace of the former president mirrors that of Nigel Farage, the Reform UK leader who was loyal enough to attend the 2024 Republican National Convention in which Trump received the nomination for president.
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Scottish First Minister John Swinney also congratulated Trump after his victory, pledging to continue the “economic, social, and cultural ties” which link Scotland and the United States, further declaring he would “be happy to meet with President Trump” on behalf of the Scottish people. Patrick Harvie, member of the Green Party and Scottish Parliament, berated Swinney’s acceptance of “the convicted felon, Donald Trump,” saying, “Words fail me.”
Many St Andrews students have found themselves feeling dejected and disillusioned with the outcome, fearing what it might mean for the climate, Ukraine and Palestine, and global relations as a whole. While there is no easy answer on how to proceed, rejected Presidential Candidate Kamala Harris offered an answer in her concession speech: “This is not a time to throw up our hands. This is a time to roll up our sleeves.”
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