US Presidential Election 2024: People in Banbridge give their reaction to Donald Trump over Kamala Harris
People in Banbridge seemed very evenly split in their reaction to Donald Trump being elected as the 47th President of the United States.
There appears to be no middle ground regarding his resounding election victory the morning after his resounding victory.
Aaron McKee from Banbridge said it was "great" for America.
"He speaks the truth and there are no back doors in him," he told the News Letter. "So I think he will do great and put the people first.
"I think he is just direct and says it how it is. He says what he was going to do before the election. I think it is a good day for America."
Karen Woods from Banbridge agreed.
"I have been following American politics this last couple of years," she said.
"And there have been some terrible things happening in America with all the migrants coming in.
"There are a lot of problems and I don't think the Democrats are sorting anything out. They are only creating more problems.
"I think they need somebody like Donald Trump to take the reins of power again and lead the country forward."
Andrea Heron from Banbridge was another lady who backed the result.
"I am happy enough that he has got in," she said. "I know a girl from Northern Ireland who lived in New York for years who has come back home to live.
"She came back because she wants her children to be brought up over here. She says that we only hear the bad things about him.
"We don't hear how good he is for the people and how much he has done for the economy and what he does over there. We only see the bad bits.
But Colum Porter from Banbridge strongly disagreed.
"I am disappointed at Trump winning given all these findings against him in the courts and his treatment of women," he said.
"I can't believe that the American people voted for him. I don't think it is going to do the world an awful lot of good as he is more of an isolationist.
"I think he will not support Ukraine as much [as Biden] which will leave a lot more pressure on the Europeans to help fund them [in their war with Russia].
A lady who only gave her name as Sonya described him as "A balloon - because of the way he gets on - and those balloons in America have voted for him.
She added: "They are going to get burst like a balloon. The country has gone mad over there. I just think it is a disaster that they have let him back in.
"And he doesn't like the [UK] Labour Party so how are we going to work this out? It is just a disaster and it is a disaster waiting to happen.”
"I knew he would get in - because they are not wise in America. Trump had his backing."
Rod from Banbridge also used colourful language to describe Trump, describing him as "a fruitcake".
He added: "Look at how many charges he was up for and found guilty of but he never went to prison. How did he get away with it?"
(Trump was found guilty of falsifying his election expense records in a criminal trial earlier this year).
Rod added: "The things he comes out with are crazy. He will give us a third world war. The guy is a lunatic.
"He loved the Mexicans but when he got elected he built a big wall to keep them out. But even with that and all the technology they still can't keep them out."
He noted that before Trump was elected the first time, President Barack Obama provided state funded health care for lower income families.
"But then when Trump got in the first time, he said - ‘No more free health service. He takes away from the poor and gives to the rich."