The grueling almost two-year-long election cycle has finally come to a close. With the projected Electoral College votes at 306 to 232, Donald Trump will become the 45th President of the United States.

President-Elect Trump ran an unprecedented campaign. 

With almost all odds against him which included: discontent from his own party, a highly experienced opponent, almost zero endorsements from well known news publications (he was endorsed by the KKK) and terrifying campaign rhetoric, the entire world was (and still is) shocked by Trump’s win. 

Trump’s road to the White House proved that in politics during times of severe polarization, bullying sadly does work. Trump has alienated and targeted almost every single minority group. 

Throughout his entire campaign, the new President-elect has called Mexicans rapists, Muslims terrorists, mocked the disabled and continuously degraded women. Yet every single time he made these horrendous remarks, he was met by the cheers of millions.

Trump successfully appealed to some of worst nature in many Americans. His voters overlooked and justified the xenophobic, homophobic, transphobic, sexist and racist viewpoints of their candidate.

This is also a man who almost idolizes authoritarian leadership. Trump has repeatedly praised Vladimir Putin and Bashar al-Assad on the way they have governed Russia and Syria, respectively. 

Trump has already pulled back on many of his promises that had encouraged millions of people vote for him. He has revealed that he wishes to keep parts of ObamaCare and that his “wall” will be part fence. 

Even though ObamaCare can still be largely improved  upon, completely cutting the program and not replacing  it with a better alternative immediately, over 200 million people will be left without health care. 

Besides the infamous “Make America Great Again,” Trump’s other campaign slogan, also said by President Reagan, was “Drain the Swamp.” He wants to politicians to stop serving donors and special interest groups and put an end to the corruption that has ensued in American politics.

However, instead of draining the swamp, Trump has merely replaced the creatures in it. Trump’s transition team and potential cabinet members include longtime Washington insiders and lobbyist.

Another scary thought that comes with the Trump presidency is his running mate and current Vice-President Elect Mike Pence. 

Pence has repeatedly assaulted LGBTQ rights. In 2000, Pence advocated to cut HIV funding for groups that supported homosexuality, and instead believed that tax money should be given to convert gays  by electro-shock therapy. 

Conversion therapy poses a painful violation to the human rights of the victims that are forced to undergo it. 

Millions of people, both nationally and internationally, are terrified of Trump’s upcoming presidency as seen in the hundreds of the ongoing protests following the election’s results.

There has been even a “Women’s March on Washington,” that is planned to be held on Inauguration Day. Over 44,000 people said that they would attend the protest.

Demonstrations aside, it is important to recognize that we all should be vigilantly in watching for his success. Americans must realize that if Trump is an effective president, his success will resonate with the entire country.

Everyone should hold Trump accountable for his future actions as POTUS. We can no longer tolerate Trump’s brash comments anymore. Trump needs to become more mature in order for him to be a respectable president. 

No matter how much we dislike the new President-Elect, we’re stuck with Trump for the next four years. It is time to heal the great divide between the citizens of the United States. 

As much Americans want to deny Trump as Commander-In-Chief, the results are final, he will be the next leader of the free world. This is even emphasized by the Obama administration and Hillary Clinton who have encouraged a smooth transition of power between the current POTUS and his successor.

This election has proved to be an extremely tough loss for Democrats. Along with winning the Presidency, the GOP has won the House and maintained a Senate majority. 

Congress will mostly likely continue to not hear Obama’s appointed Justice Merrick Garland and will wait until Trump appoints a more conservative candidate to replace Justice Scalia. 

This will prevent progressive legislation and progress to pursue in the United States. This includes topics regarding equal rights for all and the enviroment.

Even though Trump was disliked by millions of voters, Clinton was also unpopular. Many voters thought that their voices wouldn’t be heard under Clinton and had to opt for casting their ballot to the more outspoken Trump. 

In conclusion, a Trump presidency is frightening and unpredictable. But America needs to unite and encourage the President-Elect to make just decisions during his time in the Oval Office and not diminish decades of hard work and progress.