Kaju says US voters want solutions to everyday problems

US voters want politicians to address real problems such as the cost of living and immigration, Estonian US expert Andreas Kaju told ERR. He said President Donald Trump has considerable freedom in foreign policy.

Kaju said the election showed that American democracy still works in a way broadly similar to Europe’s: policies have consequences, and voters signalled their dissatisfaction at the ballot box. The election was held without obstruction and its results were accepted, he said, leaving Trump and his team to draw their own conclusions.

Trump, Vice President J. D. Vance and Elon Musk have already drawn different conclusions from election night, Kaju noted. He said the Democrats could also find potential presidential candidates among the winners in states where the party performed well, including some that will be important in 2028.

It is difficult to predict how the result will affect US policy towards Ukraine and Russia, Kaju said. Presidents have wide discretion in foreign and security policy, and both Republicans and Democrats have acted without Congress’s approval while in the White House.

Trump has two years to shape his legacy and will want to leave his mark in Iran and end the war in Ukraine, Kaju said, adding that ending the war was not within Trump’s power.

Kaju considered Trump’s removal from office in the next two years extremely unlikely unless new information emerges. He said Democrats would be unlikely to pursue impeachment over Trump’s actions so far, as it could be self-defeating. Instead, they should focus on the issues voters highlighted, including household finances, the cost of living and enforcement of immigration rules.