As the 2024 presidential election draws nearer, high school upperclassmen across the nation are gearing up to exercise their voting rights and make their voices heard. With the possibility of a Trump 2024 campaign already looming, students are carefully considering the potential impacts of various candidates and their policies on their lives and future.

“Trump running for president in 2024 worries me. I’m concerned about how his policies might affect the world I will grow up in. The idea that a former president could be arrested is new and makes things more uncertain,” said Thomas Banducci (‘24).

The 2024 presidential election is poised to be a highly contested and closely fought battle between candidates, with both major political parties fielding strong contenders. With a divided and politically charged country, every vote will count in determining the outcome of this crucial election.

Recently, the possibility of former President Trump’s arrest has added a new dimension to the already complex landscape of the 2024 presidential election, leaving many to speculate. Despite controversy and divisiveness surrounding his presidency, Trump retains a strong base of supporters, including among young people.

“Nobody who used to be president has ever been arrested in the United States before which will be a big shock to the American people. Despite this, even though there have been some problems with things Trump has done before, some people still support him,” said Riley Young (‘24).

Some students are supportive of a potential Trump 2024 campaign, seeing the former president as a figure who is willing to challenge the status quo and fight for what he believes in. Trump’s policies around issues such as trade and economic growth have resonated with some young people, particularly those studying business and economics.

“Trump’s ideas about things like trade and making the economy better might make sense to some young people, especially those who are studying business and economics,” said political enthusiast Michael Jay.

Conversely, some students have contended that a prospective Trump 2024 presidential campaign could adversely affect them due to his polarizing rhetoric and policies on immigration, civil rights, and related concerns that do not often resonate with marginalized populations.

“Some of the things he says and does about immigration and the rights of different kinds of people could affect some students who are immigrants or who come from minority groups or who are LGBTQ. He is extremely disdainful towards those groups,” said Young.

Regardless of political affiliation, political analysts and lawmakers alike underscore the criticality of students remaining actively involved and informed in the political sphere.