The Roundtable: The World Watches the US Election
Editor's Note: Welcome to our monthly roundtable discussion. Each month, our five student editors will come together to debate a major issue shaping our world. This transcript has been lightly edited for length and clarity.
Minwoo Jung: We're now just days away from the US presidential election. For the United States, it’s a deeply polarizing domestic choice. But for the rest of the world, it is something else entirely. It’s an event that will have a direct and profound impact on our own security and economic future, yet we have no say in the outcome. I wanted to use this discussion to talk about what this election looks like from the outside. Saerom and Anthony, since you’re both in the US, you can give us the view from the ground.
Saerom Kim: The mood here is one of extreme tension and exhaustion. It feels like the country has been holding its breath for two years. The divisions are so deep that people on opposite sides seem to be living in completely different realities, with their own news sources and their own sets of facts. From a cultural perspective, it feels less like a political debate and more like a holy war between two irreconcilable tribes. It’s a very anxious place to be right now.
Anthony Min: And that anxiety is reflected in the markets, which are pricing in a huge amount of post-election volatility. But the core economic debate is actually quite simple. The Trump campaign is arguing that the economy was better under his first term, and is promising tax cuts and deregulation. The Biden campaign is pointing to the low unemployment numbers and arguing that their industrial policy, like the CHIPS Act, is rebuilding America’s manufacturing base. But I think for most voters, it’s a much simpler gut-check on the price of gas and groceries.
Yonghyuk Choi: From our perspective in Korea, the main concern is the reliability of the US as an ally. For seventy years, the US-Korea security alliance has been the bedrock of our national defense. Donald Trump, in his first term, openly questioned the value of these alliances and threatened to withdraw troops. A second Trump term introduces a level of profound uncertainty into our entire national security strategy. It’s something that is being discussed here with a great deal of anxiety.
Minwoo Jung: That's the central issue for the entire world. The post-World War II international order was built on a set of assumptions, and the central assumption was a stable and predictable America. A Trump victory represents a potential sledgehammer to that order. His "America First" philosophy is not just a slogan; it’s a rejection of the entire concept of collective security and free trade that has defined the last 80 years. For allies in both Europe and Asia, it is an existential concern.
Yehee Jung: There’s also the issue of global public goods. The world’s ability to cooperate on immense, shared challenges like climate change and pandemic preparedness is almost entirely dependent on American leadership and funding. A Trump administration that is openly hostile to climate science and has threatened to withdraw from the WHO would be a catastrophic setback for progress on these global issues. The consequences of this election extend far beyond politics and economics; they have a direct impact on the future health of our planet.
Saerom Kim: It’s just so strange to be in the middle of it. The campaign here is so focused on domestic culture war issues, but the rest of the world is watching and worrying about these huge, global consequences. There’s a real disconnect between the scale of the decision and the issues that often seem to be driving it.
Final Thoughts
Yonghyuk Choi: For America's allies, this election feels like watching your star player, who is also your team captain, decide whether he wants to stay with the team or just play by his own rules.
Anthony Min: The markets are bracing for a post-election shock, as two completely different economic philosophies are on the ballot.
Saerom Kim: Living in America right now feels like being in a house where the parents are having a terrible fight, and the whole neighborhood is worriedly listening in.
Yehee Jung: The outcome of this election will have a greater impact on the future of global public health than any decision made by the WHO.
Minwoo Jung: The world is about to find out if the post-war international order was a durable structure or just a temporary arrangement entirely dependent on the whims of the American voter.
What do you think? What is the single biggest global consequence of the US election? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
