Egyptians received news of Donald Trump’s victory in the US presidential election with mixed reactions, ranging from celebration to disappointment and even outright despair.

While President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and his supporters welcomed the news of Trump becoming the 45th president of the United States, Egypt’s liberals and pro-democracy activists expressed shock and anguish on social media networks. The widely divergent views on the shocking election outcome reflect the increased polarization in Egyptian society, a society as divided as the American electorate itself.

Sisi was among the first world leaders to congratulate Trump on his win. In a presidential statement released Nov. 10, he said, “Egypt hopes Trump’s presidency will breathe a new spirit into US-Egyptian relations.” Sisi had met the two US presidential hopefuls in New York in September and later said he had no doubt that "Trump would make a strong leader." While Hillary Clinton had raised the issue of human rights and called for the respect of rule of law during her meeting with Sisi, Trump had decided to look the other way. Instead, he told Sisi he looked forward to visiting Egypt and later called the Egyptian president “a fantastic guy.” Trump has in campaign speeches also advocated for torturing terrorists and called for the targeting of their families. 

Disregard for human rights is not the only common ground between Trump and Egypt’s strongman. The two men also share similar views on a number of issues, including their stance on the Muslim Brotherhood, which is designated a terrorist group by Egypt and described by Trump as “radical” in a foreign policy speech he gave in New York in June. They have both called for a “war on extremism” and given their blessings to the Russian-led airstrikes on rebel-held positions in Syria. In New York last month, Sisi backed a Russian draft resolution that stopped short of calling for a halt to the devastating bombing of Aleppo, a move that prompted Saudi Arabia to suspend its oil aid to Egypt over the last two months. Similarly, Trump had said in his campaign speeches that backing the rebels in Syria was "a mistake” and “the US would be better off supporting Assad as a hedge against Islamic radicalism.” And while Sisi has pursued warmer ties with Russia, Trump too has expressed willingness to cooperate with Putin, even if it involved a “difficult path.”