Nesse is skeptical about Trump’s reelection and is among the 70% of Norwegians who , according to Statista.

“The most concerning part is that Trump brings a more uncertain world, and I believe almost all democratic countries need certainty,” Nesse said. “They need to not rely on the United States.”

Two prominent following this year’s U.S. election are higher tariffs that could result in a trade war and security concerns relating to NATO, according to Norwegian political science experts.

“I think that if you are to draw anything positive out of this really miserable situation [of Trump’s election], it is that we might get the realization we need to take more responsibility for our own security, our own economic security, our own health security and our own independence,” Nesse said.

Despite skepticism, Einar Berntzen, a University of Bergen political science professor, said it’s in Norway’s best interest to maintain positive relationships with the U.S., regardless of who leads it.

“Since FDR’s famous [on Sept. 16, 1942], the U.S. has been and remains Norway’s closest and most important ally,” Berntzen said.

Additionally, Norwegian writer, researcher and teacher Aaron John Spitzer said Norway looks westward to the U.S. for trade and cultural influence.

“Norway is a big NATO country, so on a practical level, U.S. international relations actually have the ability to impact Norway,” Spitzer said. “But I think more than anything, it’s a cultural orientation.”

A protectionist mindset

Trump’s threat to unilaterally impose a blanket tariff on U.S. trade partners might unleash a “tit-for-tat” trade war, Berntzen said.

“[The trade war] will wreak havoc on international trade and supply chains that would also affect the small and open economy of Norway,” Berntzen said.

Stein Kuhnle, a political scientist at the University of Bergen, said his main concern following the election is the Trump-imposed new isolationism and how it will hinder trade with Norway, Europe and transatlantic regions.

“I think there is more concern about the future of American democracy and fear about the U.S. moving in a more authoritarian direction,” Kuhnle said.

‘An aggressive and dangerous neighbor’

Norwegians like Berntzen are concerned that Trump will create a peace treaty with Russian President Vladimir Putin behind Ukraine’s back.

“American elections typically influence Norwegian opinion due to their importance for Norway as a small country with a geopolitically vulnerable position sharing a border with an aggressive and dangerous neighbor: Russia,” Berntzen said.

This fear makes the U.S. Norway’s closest and most important ally in regard to military and security, Berntzen said.

“Norwegians are adamant that Putin must not be allowed to win his war of aggression against Ukraine,” Berntzen said. “Such a ‘peace’ would only embolden Putin’s expansionism and send an ominous message to other countries sharing a border with Russia.”

Predictable, yet disheartening

Following the U.S. election, most Norwegians weren’t surprised but still disappointed with the results.

Nesse had a “bad feeling” about the election as he viewed Trump as leading in some of the key issues this election: the economy, immigration and security. However, he still thinks a Trump presidency is “absolutely ludacris.”

“When I woke up and saw that Trump has most likely won the election, I wasn’t shocked, but I was a bit like, ‘What the f–k? Did they actually reelect him?’” Nesse said.

Spitzer said while he was “mind blown” about Trump’s election in 2016, he didn’t find it as startling this year after seeing declining support for Harris compared to Joe Biden in 2020.

“I would say that very much unlike previous years, the general reaction this year to some degree among thinking people in Norway has been, ‘Holy s–t, what have Democrats gotten wrong?’” Spitzer said.

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As part of an initiative that aims to give parents more autonomy in their child’s education, Trump has promised to sign an executive order that would cut federal funding for schools that incorporate critical race theory, gender ideology or other “inappropriate racial, sexual or political content” in curricula. 

Armed with the support of his secretary of education pick, Linda McMahon, he has said he intends to sign an executive order to reinstate “The 1776 Commission,” an advisory commission made up of 20 members appointed by Trump that enforces the incorporation of “patriotic” values in the classroom. 

Among his biggest campaign platforms, however, has been his calls to dismantle the Department of Education as a way to “end education coming out of Washington, D.C.” and “send all education work and needs back to the States,” as his campaign website states. 

“On top of regular educators and paraeducators, we have a lot of staff that are solely here to support very specific students,” said Alessandra Portillo, administrative secretary and financial specialist at Diamond Elementary School in Gaithersburg, Maryland. “They know that in cases like this, their programs are the first ones cut, which is really unfortunate.” 

Diamond Elementary School is a Montgomery County public school that hosts a nationally recognized support program for children on the autism spectrum among its standard course offerings. Portillo said that the school relies heavily on funding allocated by the Department of Education and federal grants to keep critical resources and programming available for children with special needs. 

“A lot of these parents that send their kids here don’t have the specialized skills, training, or knowledge to be able to care for their kids [in] the way that they need,” Portillo said. 

According to Portillo, the tone at most schools in the Washington region hosting specialized education programs has been one of anxiety, shock, and apprehension. Many are experiencing uncertainty about whether the changes Trump has promised on a federal level may influence them on a local level. 

Not all educators are worried about potential changes, particularly those in states with greater local autonomy.

Donna Norton is an 8th grade English teacher at Bonny Eagle Middle School in Scarborough, Maine. She’s not particularly worried about incoming changes at the federal level, and added that neither is the administrative body at her school. 

“Everybody always just says, ‘Oh my god, I’m so glad I don’t teach in Florida,’ or ‘I’m so glad I don’t teach in Texas.’ That’s more what the feeling is,” Norton said. “For me personally, I don’t know how much would be affected at the state level, or even at our local level, because a lot is done at our [local level]. … So I’m not hugely worried.” 

In contrast to Portillo’s concerns, Norton said that she was doubtful anything would be affected at Bonny Eagle, even if Trump was able to get Congress to enact legislation shuttering the Education Department. 

Norton added that after the Common Core Learning Results were implemented under President Ronald Reagan and further developed under President Barack Obama, they were “kind of done away with” in Maine on a district-by-district basis.

“I think everybody’s just about providing a good education,” Norton said. “I know in Maryland, [curriculum is determined] by county, but a lot of people don’t even have faith in the public school system there. I don’t think that’s because of [anything at] the national level. I think that’s because the districts are so huge, they’re just absolutely difficult to manage.” 

Christina Cropper is a school counselor at Dunbar High School in Baltimore, Maryland. Similarly to Norton, she is skeptical about whether Trump’s promises will be fully carried out in schools when so many decisions around education happen at the state and local levels. 

“I’m really not worried about the Department of Education closing,” said Cropper. “What worries me is the shift in rhetoric that will then actually affect policy on a state and local level.”  

School administrators sent out resources for teachers to help them navigate the intricacies of politically charged discussions among students, including guidance on when to intervene and shut conversation down if it became too combative. 

Other than mitigating the immediate emotional impact on students, however, Cropper said that the school administration at Dunbar High School has largely been waiting to see what comes of Trump’s promises.

“He’s not in office yet. The impact’s not quite there yet,” Cropper said. “This might just be me personally, but I think we’re all kind of waiting just to see what’s going to happen, what he’s actually going to be able to accomplish,” she said.

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Initiative 83 has passed in D.C. with almost 73% of the vote meaning semi-open primaries and ranked voting are set to begin in 2026. 

Before then, the ballot initiative will face more challenges with two lawsuits and the final decision to fund the decision made by D.C. Council. 

Deirdre Brown, chair of the Vote No campaign told 91���� on election day, “We’re hoping that they won’t fund it. We don’t believe that this is needed, this is an unnecessary election reform.”

The initiative will allow D.C.’s 76,000 registered independents to vote in a partisan primary election of their choosing. This would open D.C. up in line with other states, as only have closed primaries. 

Ruby Coleman, student engagement coordinator of the Vote Yes campaign said this would help many disenfranchised people in the most important election for always democratic D.C. – the primary. She drew attention to federal employees and journalists whose careers may be affected by having a partisan attachment.

“The reason we oppose that is because our Home Rule Act clearly states that our primaries are partisan,” Brown said. She also reminded people that independents can change their party affiliation even on election day if they want to vote. 

The second half of the initiative is ranked choice voting – allowing voters to rank up to five candidates, and the lowest performing candidates would be eliminated until a winner receives at least 50% of the vote.

The Vote No campaign said this is a confusing system, and it is more likely that people of color, lower-income voters, and elderly people’s votes won’t count if they fill in the ballot incorrectly. 

Kishan Putta, ANC Commissioner said, “All important reforms in American history and world history have taken some time to get used to. I have faith in the voters they have been able to manage and understand lots of complexities in our society. Filing taxes for example, is much more complicated than ranked choice voting.”

An expert in voting rules and electoral systems, Josep Colomer professor of political science at Georgetown University, was voting for Initiative 83 at Hardy Middle School, as it is “less bad than what we have.” He told 91���� the current winner-takes-it-all system of voting in America “is the worst. That is a general opinion among academics all across the world.” 

Peter Gosselin speaking outside Chevy Chase Community Center said he can understand ranked voting for races where there are a lot of candidates, but ultimately he voted against the initiative. “Voting is our way of conveying authority,” he said, “think of being the second choice president, it’s a weird way to convey authority.” 

There has been controversy surrounding the campaign. “We really believe this has little to do about D.C. voters, and has a lot to do with outside special interest groups and PACs meddling in D.C. politics,” said Brown chair of the Vote No campaign. 

Mayor Muriel Bowser who has been publicly against the initiative, said “These groups want to come in and control our local elections,” on WAMU’s The Politics Hour.

Vote No have spent just under $5,300 during their campaign according to the, compared to

Coleman of the Vote Yes campaign acknowledged they have received “significantly more funding,” from larger organizations like Fair Vote. She said, it “is right over the border in Silver Spring, it’s barely outside D.C.,” and that funding allows them to hire people to work within D.C. on the campaign.

While the Yes campaign will be celebrating today, it is still not a clear path ahead.

Brown said, “This isn’t the end, there are two court cases that are currently challenging the validity of Initiative 83 and we believe at least one of those should prevail in the future.”

Because the initiative has a fiscal impact, it now goes to D.C. Council to decide whether to fund the change. 

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In Dearborn, Michigan, 55% of residents are of Arab descent, coming from Palestine, Syria, Yemen, Iraq and Lebanon, the largest population. Trump won 42.48% of the vote in Dearborn,  compared to Vice President Kamala Harris, who won 36.26%, according to the

From the beginning, the Trump campaign is said to have spent considerable resources hiring third-party contractors to help the campaign get out the vote in Arab American communities in the state, including Dearborn, Dearborn Heights and Hamtramck.

Wasel Yousef, who volunteered with the Trump campaign, described setting up meetings with religious leaders, community leaders, and even a mayor or two for the Trump campaign.

According to Yousef, Arab Americans recognized the importance of participating in politics and found a response from the Republican Party.

Yousef said that the “Trump campaign at least tried to listen to us,” while he said the Harris campaign ignored the community.

Imam Belal Alzuhairi, who appeared at a Trump rally on Oct. 26, told that Arab Americans in Michigan requested five demands from Trump related to stopping the war in the Middle East, especially in Gaza, fighting Islamophobia, hiring more Muslims in his administration, and ​​protecting children’s identity in schools.

“We are supporting Donald because he promised us that he will stop the war in the Middle East and Ukraine,”  he said to the crowd of Trump supporters.

Laila Alhusini, a journalist and founder of US Arab Radio, which focuses on Arab American issues across the U.S., agreed that Trump won Arab votes by appealing to Arab Americans’ desires for peace and promising economic relief. Alhunsini also said, “At least he tried to listen to the Arab community.”

Abdul Hafiz Sharaf, a Michigander who also collaborated with Trump’s campaign, said that Arab American voters in Michigan did not vote for Trump because they wanted him but instead because “they didn’t want to vote for Kamala and the Democrats.”

Of the Arab Americans interviewed, all pointed to ending the wars in the Middle East and Ukraine. Trump has promised to do that for the Arab American community, already war-weary from decades of US and US-supported conflict in their homeland.

The Arab American community, particularly in Michigan, had, until Tuesday, voted exclusively Democrat since the early ‘90s. Mohammed Haj Ali, an Arab American who is a federal employee, said 60% of Arab Americans in Michigan switched to Republicans because of the wars in Gaza and Lebanon.

According to Haj Alli, foreign policies from the Obama and Biden administrations have devastated the Syrian community.

War is an effective tool for sowing discontent, said Tamara Miller, another Michigander who has been working with Palestine Solidarity Grand Rapids. She voted for Jill Stein. “I am in no way, shape, or form going to support a genocide,” Miller said.

Miller, who started participating in activities supporting the Palestinians shortly after the Israeli bombardment of Gaza began following the Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel, said the Democrats are the ones who changed.

“They’re not representing us anymore,” Miller said. “I want to leave the Democratic party.”

Miller is not alone in feeling this way. 91���� half of younger adults say they wish there were more parties to choose from, according to a .

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The results are in sooner than expected, but the uncertainty for businesses in downtown D.C. continues as they tell 91���� they will remain barricaded until after the inauguration. 

One of the businesses is Potbelly, located opposite the White House. Assistant Manager Danna Kelly said some of her colleagues feel uneasy with the barricades; “it’s a little nerve-wracking not to know what’s going on outside.”

It’s affecting business. Sitting in an empty shop at lunchtime, Kelly said, “it’s pretty dark and isolated.” 

Kelly thought the security measures were precautionary, telling 91����, “If nothing’s happened now or thus far, I don’t think we have too much more to worry about.” 

But Ray Copper, an employee at T-Mobile’s nearby location, said, “I anticipate something going on.” He said, “You never know people get a little riled up at this time,” referring to previous vandalism. 

Copper said he supported the safety measures D.C. was implementing, considering – located down the street – had been vandalized and looted in 2020 during a protest over the death of George Floyd.

Devonte Williams, a resident of DC for over 30 years, said he had never seen election safety precautions like this year. He also said as someone who experienced the anxiety of the Jan. 6 Capitol attack near his home, he was thankful for the preventive actions taking place around the District.

How long will barriers last?

Mayor Muriel Bowser responded to questions about boarded-up businesses in a press conference on Nov. 4. The mayor said the Metropolitan Police Department  “is out in all eight wards and is very focused on commercial districts.” She said they will share information with so-called business improvement districts “so they know what we know and we trust that they will make the right decisions.”

Bowser said the city expects to request National Guard help between now and Inauguration Day. 

Golden Triangle business district, home to more than 550 shops, bars and restaurants, including on Pennsylvania Avenue, has encouraged businesses to be “ready with a plan for if a threat does emerge,” according to an emailed statement.

In the meantime, the U.S. Secret Service spokesperson, Alexi Worley, wrote in an email that fencing and other physical public safety measures put in place for Election Day are expected to be removed this weekend.

Other businesses are more focused on getting customers over the emotional barriers of the election, particularly in heavily Democratic D.C.

, a cat cafe in Georgetown, has in the last day noticed an increased police presence, but they’ve decided not to board up their windows, a manager said. 

Sydney Floyd, shift manager at the facility, said customers have come in this morning “definitely bummed over the results.” The customers are coming in for some animal therapy. Floyd noticed less foot traffic, too. 

“I would assume that people are, I don’t know, either staying clear out of D.C. for the most part or are celebrating elsewhere,” she said.

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From student loan debt and health care to economic stability, these issues drive voters to make their voices heard in what many see as a defining election.

For some voters, economic issues top the list. “For me, it’s the economy,” said Nelson Ulloa, one Fairfax resident. “Things that affect you daily, such as the economy and values, are important to me. The U.S. was built on certain principles.”

This perspective is common among voters who prioritize job stability, inflation control, and economic resilience, significantly as prices fluctuate and uncertainty looms over the future.

There’s a strong sense among Trump supporters that he’s the candidate to bring economic stability.

 “I believe Trump will bring back the strong economy we had before,” said Lisa Thompson, a Fairfax resident and small business owner.

“He understands how businesses work and wants to cut the red tape strangling small companies. That’s something we need more than ever right now.”

Lisa’s perspective resonates with many conservatives in Fairfax who feel that Trump’s policies offer the best path to economic growth and stability.

Toora Arsala, wearing a “Keep Virginia Blue” T-shirt, told 91����, “I’m all in for Kamala Harris.” Toora believes that Kamala is the best choice for the country.

Arsala wanted “student loans and health care” when he voted. “I think once Kamala gets elected, we will have a better health care system, and we’ll have abortion rights will be better for all women everywhere in the entire country.”

More in this report

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Milton Washington, an orphan in Seoul, South Korea, was adopted by a U.S. military family and moved to the United States at age 10.

Today he is an accomplished artist who added a fitness center upstairs from his studio. Rokmil Studios includes collaborations with the Emmy-nominated Ruth Carter.

Washington described being shocked by the efficiency of his voting process Tuesday in Harlem, New York, where he was able to cast his ballot in five minutes.

But it was not his most memorable experience as a voter. That was when he voted for Barack Obama for president, remembering the glee he felt walking into the booth.

That may have changed today.

This election “might even be more memorable now just because of the stakes …  You know, some say democracy versus totalitarianism. And [it is] a Black and Asian woman, so I’m more nervous now than I was for Obama. This [election] is part two of that [one], an extension.”

— Marley Joseph

Family ties in the voting booth

Jose Martinez, 54, cast his presidential vote Tuesday for Vice President Kamala Harris — whom he referred to as “the lady” — with his deceased mother in mind.

Martinez’s mother cleaned the Oval Office for eight years under the Bush Administration and for two years under the Obama Administration. He said his mother “saw the president every morning.”

“My mother worked for Democrats and Republicans, and she told us — make sure to never vote Republican,” Martinez said. “She died three years ago.”

Martinez noted that “family” was the most influential factor on his vote at Ida B. Wells Middle School in the Takoma neighborhood in Washington, D.C. He is more passionate about voting for the Harris-Walz campaign than the former Biden-Harris ticket because of his mother’s personal relationship with President Joe Biden.

“My mother always said if you’re voting for Biden, he’s not gonna make it to the end of the term,” Martinez said. “She knew him very well.”

As a Washington resident since 1987, Martinez said he “saw a lot of presidents.”

“They come in and out, and they never make big changes …  We will see about the lady,” Martinez said. “We want to try a woman now.”

—Shreya Jyotishi

Md. voter: ‘Food-wise, kid-wise,’ Trump is better

Victoria Nelson, 34, said this is her third time voting for Donald Trump for president. Nelson said she cast her vote Tuesday morning before heading to the mall at Prince George’s in Hyattsville, Maryland.  “This is my own personal decision that I came to by watching the news and seeing what he’s done for us over the last couple of years,” Nelson said.

A Maryland resident and mother, Nelson said a child-care plan from Trump is one of the main reasons she backs him. (Here is a breakdown of the candidates’ .)

 “If he becomes president again he will help us more, and I think that in his last term as president, he helped us,”  Nelson said. “Food-wise, kids-wise, he has helped us and he has a plan to help us more, so that’s why I voted for him.”

— Payton Anderson

Retiree: Trump a ‘Horror Show’

Amelia Davis, 74, says that there wasn’t a single issue that brought her to the polls but rather a person: Former President Donald Trump.

“Donald Trump’s a horror show,” said the retired teacher from Ewing, New Jersey, whose husband joined her at the polls.

Davis said she had a reason to vote in person.  “Well, I’m old and I like the process,” she said. “I think it’s important. I’ve voted in every election since I was 18.”  She also recalls marching in the past for abortion rights.

Davis described her distaste for the Republican candidate, saying that he will be terrible for the country. She expressed concern about climate change and how the issue could take a back seat under Trump. ““God help us if Donald Trump wins,” she said.

— Thomas Weaverling

Abortion: ‘That’s the one thing that governs who I vote for’

Robert Westwater, 71, said a candidate’s stance on abortion rights is the only thing he considers when voting. Wearing an American flag-patterned, button-down shirt, Westwater, at the Mall at Prince George’s in Hyattsville, Maryland, said he cast his vote for Trump.

Westwater, an Indiana native now  living in Maryland,  sent his mail-in ballot two weeks before election day. When asked about former President Trump’s other policies, Westwater said that he cares only about one thing, and agrees wholeheartedly with Trump’s restrictive stance on reproductive rights. 

“It’s a human life, not a dog, a human.” Westwater said.

– Sophia Carroll

Education on the line

George Mason University student Chima Korie voted up the street from his house in Washington, D.C., with the Department of Education in mind.

The 21-year-old neuroscience student cited talks among Donald Trump and his campaign staff of restructuring and closing the Department of Education as his primary policy concern. Korie, who identifies as an Independent, voted for the Harris-Walz ticket.

“Since I’m a student, I’m interested in education, of course,” he said. “But my career path … involves me still being in school, so I really don’t want disruptions with that.”

—Shreya Jyotishi

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In a crowd of Kamala Harris supporters at , it’s hard to ignore the smiles, bumping music, laughter and pride in one of the biggest presidential elections in American history. As the polls closed at 8 p.m. in Washington D.C., voters said they were anxious; however, a majority said they were optimistic their candidate could win.

Thousands gathered to join Vice President Kamala Harris at her alma mater campus in Washington, D.C., many of whom hope to declare victory for the first Black woman president.

The insides of the university were organized mayhem with police officers paroling each corner, crowds cheering “Kamala,” pro-Palestine activists standing their ground, and children wearing Harris merch with their parents.

Many of the turnout came from Howard University students, sorority sisters, travelers, and other local Democratic voters.

Deborah Bridges, a Harris supporter from New Jersey, said she had no choice but to take I-95 all the way to the barricaded streets surrounding Howard University. Bridges said she took Tuesday and Wednesday off to hopefully participate in a historical celebration for Harris.

“I’m feeling completely optimistic regardless of which way it does, but I know it’s going North, she’s winning. Kamala Harris is winning tonight,” Bridges said.

Other attendees continued to share their excitement for Harris tonight.

“It’s a blessing and amazing to have Kamala Harris here,” a Howard student said. “This is the place where people strive [for] greatness and she is bringing greatness back home. I’m proud to see her here and hope to achieve what she will achieve tonight.”

The line of Harris supporters grew throughout the night, along with the amount of pop-up vendors at every corner looking to catch quick cash from attendees (most of them already adorned in Harris merch).

A line of advocates and a crowd of voters, vendors, and the Secret Service sought to spread peace throughout the evening.

One of the advocates lined up outside the university was Nadine Seiler, who has spent the last three months “hammering people” about Project 2025, a 900-page document drafted by the conservative Heritage Foundation that would promote a conservative agenda and overhaul the U.S. government.

Seiler said she was optimistic, but another advocate at tonight’s event, Matt, was more anxious than hopeful.

Matt, who declined to give 91���� his last name for his own safety, said he feared a tight presidential race like tonight. He said that if Trump were to win, he would look at relocating outside the United States for his safety. But even if Harris were to win this election, he said he still feared the other side would retaliate in violence, referring to the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol.

Despite the anxiety, momentum continued throughout the hours of the watch party.

Tiffany Kelly, a voting site coordinator in the DMV, said she had been at three polling sites in Montgomery County and said it was a long day of polling and educating voters. Still, the commute to D.C. was worth it in order to witness history in the making.

“It was meant for me to be here tonight, to see history made,” Kelly said.

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