Bratislava, Slovakia – On January 20, 2025, the day the new U.S. president was inaugurated, UPF-Slovakia hosted a presentation and public discussion about the background to this landmark event. Mr. Jaroslav Daniška, a nationally renowned journalist who studied political science in Prague and Warsaw and has worked for Czech, Polish and Hungarian media, highlighted some factors which led to the election victory of President Donald Trump.
Until January, Mr. Daniška was editor-in-chief of the conservative daily Standard. His reputation drew an audience of 50, including many first-time visitors. Participants included a former prime minister and other public figures.
Mr. Daniška is very familiar with the United States. He lived in New York for a time, 25 years ago, and later made multiple visits to the nation, most recently during the election campaign. He made his position clear: “Let me tell you, I was glad Trump won by such a margin. I think American politics will change more than expected by many in our country.”
He has seen dramatic changes in the United States since his first visit, he said, adding: “But two social phenomena are unchanging in America. The first is the pressure of public opinion and the second is the cultivated exceptionalism, even predestination, of the American people.”
Today's America offers stark contrasts: on the streets of big cities there is decay, the smell of drugs, poverty and addiction. On the other hand, there is great culture in the museums and galleries, unparalleled in the world.
“The streets and sidewalks are clean, the garbage is taken out, and thus the state is functioning, but the tables in the cafes are dirty, the churches empty, and the sweetish scent of marijuana pervades the air,” Mr. Daniška said.
Although Mr. Daniška considers President Trump's election a crushing defeat for the liberal left, he stresses that this does not mean the return of traditional norms. One reason is a sharp decline in the importance of religion. “It is safe to say that America is already a majority atheist nation. The Hispanics, who have arrived by the millions in recent years, have done nothing to change that,” he said.
Many of the insights he shared were disturbing and unexpected. The presentation provoked many questions and the expression of very different opinions, resulting in an hour-long question-and-answer session. Although passionate and animated, the discussion remained peaceful and productive.
