Ever since the 20th of January 2025 when Trump reclaimed power as the 47th President of the United States, the world has been on the edge of their seat. It is easy to see why, due to the multitude of controversial actions and implementations that have occurred since the start of his presidency. One of the most prominent acts started from Trumps inauguration, when Tesla CEO and now the Senior Advisor within the Department of Government Efficiency Elon Musk initiated Trump’s administration with a Nazi salute. The world has since seen many viral changes and tribulations, causing a lingering uncertainty of what else is to come.
The Trumpian Influence: 4 Months In
Within 4 months of Trump’s administration, we have seen the removal of DEI (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion) policies which has resulted in thousands of people losing their employment. The extent of this has shown executive branches, government departments and private sector businesses such as Walmart, McDonalds and Meta reducing their DEI efforts and eliminating any form of diversity, equity and inclusion programs within their jobs prospects and opportunities.
According to the executive order, acts of ensuring anti-discrimination policies, workplace inclusivity and prevention of marginalisation were labelled as “illegal and immoral” by Trump. A Medium article outlined the effects of this order: that the removal of these policies will foster fewer workplaces attuned to addressing racial, gender LGBT+ disparities.
As a result, it is extremely likely there will be a higher rate of discrimination, racism and homophobia within workplaces. This form of discrimination has been further reinforced within the transgender community through Trump’s executive order to only recognise “two genders – biologically male and female” within all government documentation as well as remove any recognition of gender identity within civil and labour laws.
Deportation and Discrimination
We have also seen the mass deportation of immigrants living within America; more specifically, Trump’s administration targeting the mass deportation and removal of children within immigrant families. According to the Associated Press, Trump has pushed for a redefining of America’s birthright citizenship, claiming that even children born in the United States will not be considered citizens “if 1) the mother does not have a legal immigration status; and 2) the father is not a U.S. citizen or a lawful resident”.
This in turn has caused a panic within immigrant communities, as the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) conduct immigration raids in schools and churches. According to ABC’s article, President Trump has revoked a directive barring arrests in “sensitive areas” such as schools, churches and neighborhoods. The reasoning for this change, as given by a spokesperson of Homeland security, is that “criminals will no longer be able to hide in America’s schools and churches to avoid arrest.”
An article written by The Conversation further validates how these risks of deportation have detrimentally impacted immigrant communities. They state that “immigrants are keeping their children away from schools, delay going hospitals when needed or avoid going to doctor’s appointments” due to fears of the deportation of themselves or loved ones.
This has created horrific circumstances for immigrant children requiring medical care…
In February 2025, a 10-year-old American-born child recovering from brain cancer was removed from her treatment and deported back to Mexico due to the documentation status of her parents.
The Normalisation of Trump’s Policies: ‘Make Australia Great Again’
These social and cultural impacts have created a sense of uncertainty within the global sphere, and even specifically the Australian population. However, this is reinforced when unjust patterns are replicated in Australia’s political climate.
Politician Clive Palmer, founder of the previously called ‘United Australia Party’ now the “Trumpet of Patriots”, has been at the center of Trump-inspired political advertisements for the policies he wants to implement within Australia.
Palmer has more recently been called out for his promotion of anti-transgender ideology in his national television advertisements. In a video advertisement narrated by Suellen Wrightson, she states the Trumpet of Patriots views on the transgender community, that “there are only two genders – male and female,” and Australia “does not want males dressed as female confusing our children”. Wrightson finishes the speech with the slogan “Make Australia Great Again”, an homage to Trump’s infamous slogan “Make America Great Again”.
Palmer has also released an advertisement of himself stating that verbatim Australia “needs Trump policies and that is because Australians want them.” Palmer has also partnered with former Fox American reporter Tucker Carlson for advertisements where Carlson is seen praising Palmer for his policies. Carlson is the very same individual who stated in his 2018 ‘Tucker Tonight’ show that immigrants will make America “poorer and dirtier.”
Peter Dutton and Trump-Lite Campaign
There have also been fears about the similarities between Peter Dutton’s policies and Trump’s, with the Australian population labelling Dutton ‘Trump-Lite’. This is primarily because he has mirrored Trump’s disdain for DEI polices in Australia.
According to the ABC, Dutton stated that “positions advertised that have included culture, diversity and inclusion advisers… do nothing to improve the lives of everyday Australians”. Dutton further stated, according to the Sydney Morning Herald, DEI advisors “will be in firing line of a Coalition Government” if elected.
He has also been called Trump-like due to his stance within immigration, stemming back to 2017 in Trump’s first presidency. This links back to his time as an immigration minister that same year when he wanted the reviewing of visas to become based on the profiling of people’s nationalities, race and religion.
According to the ABC article, this was the time when Trump proposed travel bans on migrants from seven majority-Muslim countries. These views have remained consistent in 2024; Dutton came under fire for wanting a ban on Palestinian refugees from Gaza, claiming “they will be a threat to national security”.
Now in 2025, Dutton continues to be compared to Trump. According to Shadow Attorney General of the Liberal Party, Michaelia Cash, the leadership style shown under Trump will also be expected from Dutton himself.
In an interview on the Today Show with Sarah Abo, Cash discusses Trump and his second presidency and calls him a “man of action” and further states that the same action and attitude shown within the Trump administration “will also be expected from a Peter Dutton government”.
Fear of the Future: Australians Are Left Concerned
Due to these similarities, politicians condemned the actions of Trump and have been warning Australians not to let these influences pass without recognition.
Senator Nick McKim of the Greens Party stated in a speech in Parliament that “If you do not see America’s slide into fascism, you are simply not paying attention.” (See 16:54:01:03)
He further expressed that it will be because of Trump that “immigrants, transgender, queer people and women within the US will be scrutinized and demonised.”
McKim ended the speech with the statement, “President Trump is a disaster for humanity”.
Fears of Trump’s influence have also spread to the young people within Australia. Western Sydney University student Bailey Anderson shared concerns about what America’s political influence will mean for Australia. “It is undeniable that Australian conservatives are copying and pasting U.S politics and policies. (They are) Intently introducing divisive and hateful rhetoric to muster any support to their campaign whatsoever.”
Anderson further stated, “If these policies are given the green light at the election, Trumpism will become the unquestioned template for our politicians and their parties’ agendas… We have only begun to feel the impact of the American Trump, let alone an Australian one.”
While the world continues to stay on edge throughout Trump’s presidency, it is important to acknowledge how our politicians are normalising this anxiety
It is only through recognising these fears that we can act on these political influences, and raise awareness for its future implications. This is a necessity not only for ourselves but for our country and, most importantly, for democracy.
