Trump travel ban: Judge expands definition of relatives

Obama: Trump 'sincere' about being a president 'for all Americans'

15 November

US President Barack Obama attempted to quell fears over Donald Trump's prospective presidency as he held his first press conference on Monday since the Republican's shock election victory.

Tensions have been high in the US since Trump's win, with protests across the country, a few of which have turned violent. The president-elect was the subject of numerous controversies during the divisive and bitter election campaign, and concerns have been raised about his outspoken views and lack of political experience.

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Obama tried to reassure voters over Trump, saying he believed he was "sincere" about being a "president for all Americans". He also "called on the president-elect to reach out to people who felt anxious after the explosive rhetoric of the campaign, including women and minorities", reports CNN.

He added: "I don't think he is ideological, I think ultimately he is pragmatic in that way and that can serve him well as long as he has got good people around him and he has a good sense of direction."

One of the major talking points of Trump's prospective presidency is America's future in Nato, an alliance he called "obsolete" during his campaign. However, Obama said: "In my conversation with the president-elect he expressed a great interest in maintaining our core strategic relationships and, so, one of the messages I will be able to deliver is his commitment to Nato and the transatlantic alliance."

Obama avoided commenting on Steve Bannon's appointment as White House chief strategist. Bannon – the executive chairman of the far-right website Breitbart News and the CEO of Trump's presidential campaign – has faced allegations of supporting white supremacy and nationalism in the past. His appointment has "deepened the fears of liberal activists that the Trump administration would embolden and enable anti-semites, racists and misogynists", says The Guardian.

Anti-Trump protest turns violent amid fears of surge in hate crimes

11 November

An anti-Trump rally in Portland, Oregon, reportedly turned violent yesterday as protests against the US election result continued into a second night.

Thousands of protesters took to the streets in numerous cities to rally against the shock victory of Republican Donald Trump.

The demonstration in Portland is said to have descended into violence as a number of participants apparently began to smash shop and car windows, throw firecrackers and start fires, reports the BBC.

Police officers officially declared a "riot" as they clashed with protesters.

On Twitter, Trump said the situation was "very unfair" and described his detractors as "professional protesters, incited by media".

There are fears the billionaire's shock win could also lead to a surge of hate crimes and attacks on minorities.

During his campaign, Trump vowed to expel 11 million undocumented immigrants, build a wall on the border with Mexico, introduce extreme vetting for immigrants and ban Muslims from entering the US. He also said he would reverse Supreme Court rulings on marriage equality and the protection of gay, lesbian and transgender people from discrimination.

While it remains to be seen which pledges will be realised - and many of them are considered impractical or unconstitutional - there are concerns his remarks about minorities "may have normalised a level of vitriol and harassment those communities are facing", says the International Business Times.

Brian Levin, the director of the Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism at California State University, told the New York Times: "We're seeing these stereotypes and derogative statements become part of the political discourse."

Since Trump announced his candidacy 15 months ago, reported incidences of Islamophobia have risen fivefold. A study from California State University says hate crimes against American Muslims rose 78 per cent in 2015 to reach their highest level since the 9/11 terror attacks.

Parallels have been drawn between Trump's rise to power and the UK's vote to leave the EU - and "now that Trump's victory has come to pass," says think-tank Think Progress, "the aftermath of the Brexit vote can offer us some insight into what might transpire in the United States over the next few months".

In Britain, hate crime increased by 164 per cent in the two months following the referendum. The US is already "showing signs of producing an outpouring of race hate to mirror that which followed the Brexit vote", says The Independent.

Anecdotal evidence suggests there has already been an increase in verbal attacks on black and ethnic minorities in the US. Trump supporters on social media have told immigrants to "pack your bags", with one post saying: "The wolves are coming. Do you hear them? They've had a taste of blood. They want their meal."

Priska Komaromi, the co-author of a report on the incidents that followed the Brexit vote, told the Independent she feared the US online abuse might escalate to violence worse than that seen in Britain.

"They also don't seem to have any legislation against hate speech because the First Amendment protecting freedom of speech is such a sacred thing," she said.

'Not my president': Anti-Trump protests hit the streets

9 November

Tens of thousands of people joined protests across the US last night to condemn the election of Donald Trump as president.

Activists launched "impromptu protests criticising the racism, sexism and xenophobia that they say the president-elect has made mainstream", The Guardian says. The message was spread on Twitter, under the hashtag "#notmypresident".

Protesters blocked the streets in at least ten cities, including Boston, Chicago, Seattle and Washington, as well as at college campuses in California, Massachusetts and Pennsylvania, the New York Times reports. In Manhattan, the demonstrators converged on Trump Tower, waving placards while chanting "not our president" and "New York hates Trump".

Protesters also blockaded the entrance to Trump Tower in Chicago, shutting down traffic in the middle of the city for several hours.

"I wanted to show the rest of the world that not everyone in this country supports a fascist," said local Audrey Lava.

They received "both honks of support from motorists and angry responses from Trump supporters", says the Chicago Tribune.

The demonstrations were "mostly peaceful", says USA Today, but Seattle police said they were investigating a report of a shooting.

Not all of the protesters have focused solely on Trump. Some have expressed anger at vice president-elect Mike Pence, whose hardline stance on abortion rights and marriage equality has raised concern among activists.

What will Donald Trump be like as US president?

9 November

News that Donald Trump has been elected the 45th president of the United States might take some time to sink in, but pundits have been speculating for months about what the US would look like with the property tycoon in the White House.

Trump will be the first US leader to have never held public office nor served at a high level in the military. "Because his election would be without precedent, it's difficult to predict what a Trump administration would look like," says the BBC's Anthony Zurcher.

The businessman's key positions, laid out on his website, include reforming immigration, trade, tax, care for veterans and protecting gun rights.

Some of his views, however, especially his proposal to stop Muslims from entering the US, have sent shockwaves through the world.

Trump has told supporters: "When I'm president, I'm a different person." But the Washington Post's Ed Rogers is doubtful of a personality transformation.

"Of course, there is the possibility that the caterpillar would become a beautiful butterfly," he says. "But I'm assuming he is a worm to the core."

Economists warn Trump's trade policies would spell disaster, with some fearing he will kick off a global trade war by closing the US off to foreign goods.

Not known for his subtlety, the businessman once told China: "Listen, you mother******s, we're going to tax you 25 per cent."

As for foreign policy, Trump has vowed to "bomb the hell" out of the US's enemies and rebuild the military, making it "so strong that no one – and I mean no one – will mess with us".

"Who among our allies would think President Trump was a reliable, dependable, worthy leader they should follow?" the Post's Rogers asks.

Trump has already sparked a diplomatic spat with Mexico over his proposal to build a 1,000 mile-long wall across the border to halt illegal immigration – and make the Mexican government pay for it.

"We are not going to pay any single cent for such a stupid wall," said former Mexican president Felipe Calderon. "And it's going to be completely useless."

And what about environmental policies? Trump has made his views on climate change very clear. "This very expensive GLOBAL WARMING b******* has got to stop. Our planet is freezing," he tweeted in 2012.

"There's no way around it: Donald Trump is going to be a disaster for the planet," says Vox. "The fragile but important progress the world has made on global warming over the past eight years is now in danger of being blown to hell."

What will Donald Trump do if he loses?

8 November

Tonight, the curtains finally close on what has been one of the ugliest, most divisive election cycles in US history - thanks in no small part to the meteoric rise of Donald Trump.

The Republican candidate has been the all-encompassing eye of a political hurricane that has swept across the American Right.

Originally considered an outsider and fringe candidate for his relatively extreme views and lack of political experience, Trump has defied predictions by manoeuvring his fiercely combative, idiosyncratic style to the forefront of mainstream politics.

The fate of the US hangs in the balance, with many predicting an extremely close election. However, one thing is for sure - even if the businessman loses, he will not go silently into the night.

So if the Trump campaign falls at the final hurdle and Hillary Clinton becomes president, what's next for the controversial entrepreneur?

Mother Jones reports that on 11 April, a Trump-owned company applied for a trademark on a new hotel concept dubbed "American Idea".

"Could it be that the candidate running under the banner of 'Make America Great Again' was devising a plan to capitalise on Trump-style patriotism for a new hotel or chain of hotels with some sort of America theme?" it asks. "Was this Plan B? A way to convert his campaign into a commercial success, if voters fail to elect him the nation's next CEO?"

New Statesman says Trump has already won as his brand and its corresponding politics have made a permanent impression on the US populace.

"He will most likely launch a reality TV show that will undoubtedly attract a record number of viewers," it says. "From this ridiculously unconstrained and lucrative perch, he'll relentlessly attack President Clinton, the Republican Party and the Democratic Party alike. In retrospect, it will be clear that his entire campaign was a trailer for the blockbuster show that follows. In this way he will continue to influence, if not dominate, public opinion."

Meanwhile, the BBC argues a vanquished Trump could "stick around complaining, issuing legal challenges and dire warnings".

"Even if he disappears with uncharacteristic humility, he would leave a legacy that could transform American politics," says the site.