After months of campaigning featuring countless rallies and speeches, the picture is now clear that Donald Trump will return to the White House as the 47th President of the United States.

While the election of president is an American affair, its impact will extend far beyond the sunshine state of Florida, the snow-covered mountain tops of Utah and the bustling metropolises of New York or Chicago.

A change in president has the potential to impact global diplomatic relations as well as the world’s economy.

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But, across the Atlantic Ocean, what could it mean for Ireland?

Could Trump be bad for Ireland’s economy?

According to a US-Ireland expert, a Trump presidency has the potential to be ‘destabilising’ if he decides to enter a ‘tariff war’ with the EU as Ireland could potentially be caught in the middle.

During his last term, Trump placed tariffs on steel and aluminium coming from the EU of 25% and 10% respectively.

“We don’t know if he’s going to repeat things he did before,” said Liam Kennedy, Director of the Clinton Institute for American Studies at University College Dublin.

“But if he does, it means that you’re probably going to have a very uneasy relationship between the EU and Trump – and Ireland, of course, can get caught in the middle of that.

“So, what will that mean? It might mean there’s a tariff war – that’s very possible.”

Trump also looks set to place tariffs of 10% on every country.

“If that’s true, well, that’ll hit Ireland too – that could be meaningful, but let’s wait and see,” Mr Kennedy said.

However, he added that “there was a lot of hot air last time that did not happen”.

Will a Trump presidency impact US-Ireland relations?

The special bond between Ireland and the US was on full display during Joe Biden’s presidency and while Trump may not have those same personal links, it is unlikely that diplomatic relations will be diminished greatly.

Already, the Taoiseach and Tánaiste have congratulated Trump on his victory.

“The people of the United States have spoken and Ireland will work to deepen and strengthen the historic and unbreakable bonds between our people and our nations in the years ahead,” said Taoiseach Simon Harris.

His deputy, Tánaiste Micheál Martin, added: “Ireland’s relationship with the United States draws its strength from our deep, historical people-to-people connections, the support of the US to peace on this Island, as well as our significant, and mutually beneficial, economic relationship.”

“As we prepare to engage with a new US administration, we do so building on the strong legacy of the last 100 years.”

Mr Kennedy from the UCD Clinton Institute also said that he doesn’t expect the US-Ireland relationship to particularly suffer.

“I think that Ireland has shown itself to be pretty nimble in this transatlantic space and I think that they can continue to do that,” he said.

How has Trump’s victory been received in the north?

As a key player in the Good Friday Agreement negotiations, the US has a particular interest in the stability of the peace process in the north.

Speaking ahead of the election, the SDLP’s Matthew O’Toole said that the outcome of the election was important to the north.

“These institutions, our agreement, would not exist as they currently exist without a positive active role by the United States, by successive administrations,” he said.

“We may not have returned last year to do our job had there not been positive, active engagement by the President Biden administration.

“I want to acknowledge the enormously important and positive transformational role that an active US administration can play and has played here in Northern Ireland and on the island of Ireland, and to that end, the outcome of this election matters.”

Reactions to the Trump’s victory have been mixed across the political parties here.

DUP leader Gavin Robinson congratulated President Trump on a ‘big win’.

“We look forward to seeing him in Northern Ireland during his term as President,” he said.

However, SDLP leader Claire Hanna expressed her ‘despair’ at what a Trump presidency could mean for the ‘most vulnerable’.

“Bleak morning, familiar despair. Whatever the unbearable & gleeful say about ‘elites’, the most vulnerable will feel the brunt of this,” she said.