In a tale of two watch parties, the stark divide in reactions to the unfolding US election results was on full display in Sydney. As President Trump edged closer to securing a second term, his Australian supporters erupted in celebration while expat Democrats expressed shock, dread, and shame.
Trump Supporters Celebrate “A Great Day for Humanity”
At the Firehouse Hotel in North Sydney, a jubilant crowd of Trump backers moved in unison with their counterparts in Palm Beach, Florida. They cheered the president-elect’s victory speech, chanting “USA! USA!” and singing “God Bless the USA.”
“I’m so excited for myself but I’m more excited for my children and for the world,” said Matt Bennetto, a Queensland native who traveled to Sydney for the event. “Trump is the antidote to the endless wars … It’s a great day for freedom, it’s a great day for humanity.”
Louise Kedwell, a One Nation member decked out in Trump gear, was overcome with emotion. “I’m just so emotional,” she said. “I thank God for this … it’s great to be validated.” She hoped the result foreshadowed a similar outcome in Australia’s next election. “We want to secure the borders and we want to bring this to Australia,” Kedwell declared.
“Today I’m Ashamed to Be American”
Meanwhile, at the Kent Street Hotel in Sydney’s CBD, the mood among Harris supporters grew increasingly somber as Trump’s lead solidified. “This is fucked!” one American expat exclaimed as she stormed out.
For Isabella, an Arkansas native studying sexual and reproductive health in Sydney, watching Trump near victory was “one of the worst days” of her life. “Today, I’m ashamed to be an American,” she lamented. “As a woman of colour from a diverse background, they do not care. They do not want us.”
Her friend from California was disheartened by Trump’s ability to exploit what she called a lack of education in America. “It is very disheartening, especially because of how many black people, black and people of colour, live within the United States,” she said. “But [Trump] has been able to appeal to the ignorance of the American population.”
From Nervous Excitement to Dread
The Democrats Abroad event had begun with an air of nervous excitement. “There’s certainly anxiety, but it’s a good kind of anxiety,” said Jasper Lee, chair of Democrats Abroad Australia. Hope, an American-Australian dual citizen, added, “I really think the fate of western democracy is on the line with this election.”
But as the day wore on and key swing states began to favor Trump, that hope gave way to dread. “It is a little bit like dread, holding your breath,” remarked Emily, an American visiting Sydney. “It’s like when you are on a rollercoaster, you know the drop is coming.”
Australian Right Energized
The early results were enough for some of Trump’s Australian fans to prematurely declare him the victor. “Donald Trump has won and I can say this is the greatest comeback in history since the resurrection of Jesus Christ,” pronounced New South Wales Libertarian MP John Ruddick to cheers from a crowd of right-wing supporters at the state parliament building.
As the Trump faithful laughed, took selfies, and toasted with champagne in North Sydney, they reveled in a sense of validation and expressed hope for a similar political shift in Australia. The contrasting scenes at these Sydney gatherings underscored the deep ideological fault lines that have come to define not just American politics, but increasingly, the global political landscape.