American voters will choose between re-electing Democratic President Joe Biden or his Republican predecessor, Donald Trump, to the White House.
Here’s a look at what they stand for and how their policy proposals compare on 10 key issues.
Economy:
The economic policy of President Biden has its own name – Bidenomics – and involves building the economy, in his words, “from the bottom up”. That means investing in infrastructure and manufacturing, clean energy and expanding job opportunities. The economic data shows strong growth and jobs creation under his leadership. But voters feel the pain of high inflation, especially food and petrol.
Mr Trump has blamed his successor’s big spending for inflation and vowed a return to an agenda of lower taxes and less regulations. He also says he will look to replace Federal Reserve chairman Jerome Powell, a man he appointed but now accuses of being too “political”.
Immigration:
President Biden’s promise of a more humane approach on immigration saw him suspend or revoke several Trump-era border policies, lift the refugee admissions cap and expand humanitarian parole. But a massive surge in illegal immigration and ensuing public backlash has prompted the Democrat to shift in favour of more restrictive measures. He is expected to issue an executive order that would allow border officials to limit migrant arrivals and swiftly deport those who enter the US illegally.
Mr Trump rallied his congressional allies to kill that bill, claiming it did not go far enough. He is promising, if re-elected, to revive first-term policies that will “seal the border” and to carry out “the largest deportation operation” in US history. The Republican has also pledged to end birthright citizenship for the children of undocumented migrants and to wage war on Mexican drug cartels.
Abortion:
President Biden has painted his opponent as the “architect” of an assault on reproductive freedom, after a Supreme Court with three Trump-appointed justices overturned Roe v Wade, the landmark 1973 ruling that granted US women the constitutional right to an abortion. With several states moving to restrict abortion access, he is promising to restore the rights afforded by Roe as the law of the land if Democrats win back Congress.
Mr Trump calls himself “proudly the person responsible” for ending Roe but at the same time has criticized extreme measures in states like Arizona and Alabama. After a muddled few months, he finally set out his position as supporting states’ rights to determine their own laws. But he declined to show support for a national law or how many weeks in his view should be the limit.
Ukraine aid:
President Biden has repeatedly urged Congress to continue funding Ukraine, warning that a win for Russia’s Vladimir Putin will endanger Europe and embolden another major US adversary – China.
Mr Trump warned in February he would “encourage” Russia to “do whatever the hell they want” to Nato countries if those allies did not meet their financial obligations to the bloc – though he has since softened his rhetoric.
Israel/Gaza War:
President Biden remains “rock solid” in his support for Israel, providing billions of dollars worth in weapons and urging more aid to the US ally, but has ramped up public criticisms of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu about his handling of the war in Gaza.
Often boastful of his support for Israel, Mr Trump now says the country must “finish what they started” against Hamas militants in Gaza but “get it over with fast” because it is “losing the PR war”.
Taxes:
President Biden supports raising the corporate income tax rate to 28%, bringing it closer to the 35% rate that prevailed prior to Mr Trump’s term. He has also proposed imposing higher tax rates on the wealthiest Americans, cracking down on tax avoidance, and expanding tax credits for low earners and families. He recently escalated Trump-imposed tariffs on China, including a 100 percent tax on its electric vehicles.
Mr Trump is pledging across-the-board tax cuts if he returns to office, in part by prolonging soon-to-expire income tax cuts, along with estate and wealth tax breaks, from legislation he signed in 2017. He will maintain the corporate income tax rate at 21% and proposes a universal 10% tariff on all US imports, and a 60% tariff on imports from China.
Healthcare:
President Biden and Democrats have taken action to lower prescription drugs costs for older people. As the “Obamacare” health insurance programme continues to grow in popularity, he has fought to protect and expand coverage, and lower costs, moves that have pushed enrolment to an all-time high.
Mr Trump has often vowed to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act with “something better”, but failed to detail an alternative. He and his Republican Party are routinely fending off Democratic claims that he will chip away at the Social Security and Medicare safety nets for American seniors.
Crime:
President Biden credits investment in public safety for the significant decline in violent crime after major spikes during the first two years of the pandemic. Recent FBI data shows there is a downward trend but many Americans, like those surveyed by Gallup a few months ago, feel that crime is rising. New York recently deployed its National Guard to patrol the city subway in response to a spike in transit crime.
Mr Trump has often highlighted violent incidents involving migrants or singled out public safety concerns in Democratic-led cities to paint a picture of surging, out-of-control crime levels under his rival. He has called for the death penalty to be used on drug dealers.
Climate:
President Biden invested a historic $300bn (£239bn) into clean energy and climate initiatives through his Inflation Reduction Act. He has also set ambitious new goals for cutting greenhouse gas and vehicle emissions, and spurred a boon in the green energy economy. But some climate activists oppose actions he has taken to boost oil and gas production, including the Willow oil project in Alaska.
Mr Trump, by contrast, has again taken up the vow to “drill, baby, drill” and unleash domestic energy production, in part to bring prices at the pump down. Domestic production is, however, higher under Mr Biden. At a recent dinner with oil executives and lobbyists, the Republican promised to eliminate Mr Biden’s new climate rules and environmental regulations if they donated $1bn to his campaign.
Gun laws:
President Biden signed into law the most significant gun safety legislation in more than two decades, which includes enhanced background checks for gun buyers and other protections. His justice department has also banned the manufacture and sale of “ghost guns”. He has repeatedly urged Congress to pass a ban on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines.
Mr Trump weakened US gun laws in office, but also took action to ban bump stocks, the accessories that allow semi-automatic weapons to fire more quickly. Accepting the National Rifle Association’s endorsement this month, he said he would unravel all of Mr Biden’s new gun rules and fire the head of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms.
