The popular vote was split between the Republican and Democratic candidates this election, and international students at Weber State University are just as split about what to think of Trump and the future of America.
While Americans across the country have cast their votes to decide the president, Weber State students from around the globe are anticipating the changes that are coming with Donald Trump’s four-year term.
Chinese student Wang Jing was surprised to learn that Trump had won the election. “Trump is just a business man,” Jing said. “He doesn’t have any political background.”
Jing added that she is concerned that international students may have difficulty getting student visas.
Arlo Elizarraraz, a student with family in Belgium, returned from Belgium a couple months ago, and his family thought Trump’s campaign was a joke. “They didn’t take his ideas or his candidacy seriously,” he said.
Elizarraraz expressed concern that the presidents of Russia and North Korea both endorsed Trump. He was troubled by this because, historically, neither nation has wanted the United States to be successful.
“That tells you something,” Elizarraraz said.
Some fear for the future of America. Graciela Duenaz, a student originally from Mexico and who now has U.S. citizenship, said many people from Mexico are now scared of being deported, even if they do have citizenship in America.
“We come into this country to work hard and provide for our families,” said Duenaz. “I don’t know what happened.”
She speculated that tension between Mexico and America may even escalate to war during Trump’s presidency.
Other international students were thrilled that Trump had been elected and had high hopes for his presidency. Anzee Narsinghani, a student from India, wasn’t surprised to see him elected.
“The future of America is a bright future,” she said. “His aim is very big.”
Because of Trump’s background in the business world, Narsinghani was confident that he would be a successful president.
She recalled a time when Trump spoke Hindi during a campaign speech. This touched Narsinghani because she believed he was appealing to Indian-American citizens, and this symbolized his positive relationship with India’s president. She expects this will only get better with time.
Most international students believe the U.S. will survive whatever Trump’s presidency will bring.
“One president cannot decide the whole picture of the country,” Jing said.
