The United States of America are deeply divided, just days away from the presidential election. A heated campaign has significantly polarized society. Currently, in the swing states, we are witnessing probably the biggest and most elaborate election campaign ever. Donald Trump makes no secret of his illiberal agenda, and stormy times are ahead for the transatlantic partnership. These are the main insights from my journey to the U.S. during the campaign last week. I spent the past few days in Washington and Pennsylvania, attending campaign events for both Democrats and Republicans, speaking with campaigners, and discovering that in many ways, the election campaign in the U.S. is “extreme.”

“We are not going back!” – The Harris Campaign

Last Tuesday, more than 75,000 people gathered on the lawn behind the White House in Washington, D.C., to see the Democratic presidential candidate (and Vice President) Kamala Harris. It was not only the largest campaign event in this race so far, but also by far the largest political event I have ever seen. The atmosphere was like a festival. Harris put the concept of FREEDOM at the heart of her speech and the campaign’s final push, focusing particularly on women and minorities. She made it clear there would be no return to the repressive policies, especially on abortion, that Donald Trump advocates. Repeatedly, Harris stated, “We are not going back!” It was evident that, while she strongly criticized Trump, she struck a gentler tone towards his supporters to appeal to swing voters.

Lies, Fear, and Hate – The Republican Campaign

The complete contrast in rural Pennsylvania: In the small town of Bedford, a few hundred Donald Trump supporters gathered in an airplane hangar to ask questions to J.D. Vance. The Ohio Senator is set to become Vice President if Trump wins the U.S. election on November 5th. Vance, who appears more serious and less eccentric than Trump, aims to win over middle-class Americans. However, his platform is no less radical. His statements are no less extreme. During the lead-up to his event, senators on stage addressed the cheering crowd with false claims about supposed gender transitions for undocumented immigrants. Vance himself railed against migrants, spread lies about the Iraq war, and repeatedly incited his supporters with attacks on Kamala Harris.

Concise Slogans and a Massive Advertising Blitz

It is astounding to see how dominant the campaigns are in the swing states. There’s almost no “normal” advertising on television anymore—only campaign ads. Along the highways, there are hundreds of large billboards from both sides, with yard signs, posters, and flags everywhere. For example, when I visited the Democratic headquarters in Reading, Pennsylvania, they were receiving a truckload of campaign materials—just five days before the election—for a district with 780,000 residents.

From a European perspective, it’s remarkable how little substantive political content there is in the campaign, especially on the Republican side. Kamala Harris has placed “freedom” at the center of her campaign. For Trump and Vance, the slogan is to make America “great” again. Both campaigns keep saying they will reduce inflation, but detailed plans are scarce. The peak of simplification I saw was on a Trump poster: “Harris = high prices; Trump = low prices.”

Why Europe Needs to Brace Itself

What is entirely missing in both campaigns is any reference to “Europe,” “allies,” “friends”—or Ukraine. You quickly get the impression here that Democrats are so intensely focused on an authoritarian Donald Trump (out of necessity) that they have lost sight of the transatlantic partnership. Foreign policy is only a side issue. The U.S. will likely focus on itself for the foreseeable future, which will have immediate consequences for us in Europe. The backing from the U.S.—financial support for Ukraine, among other things—could be called into question, leading us in Europe to learn quickly how to stand on our own security policy legs.

What is also alarming is that the greatest challenges facing humanity—climate change and biodiversity loss—play no role in the campaign.

I sincerely hope that the U.S. remains our most important democratic partner outside Europe. For this to happen, the U.S. must first remain democratic and not fall into the hands of an autocrat. It will stay tight until Election Day, and the fate of this democracy might be decided in just a few key districts in Pennsylvania.