Donald Trump claimed victory on Wednesday, vowing to “heal” the nation as election results placed him on the brink of a historic return to the White House, edging out Vice President Kamala Harris in a dramatic political comeback.
His exuberant speech came despite the fact that only Fox News had declared him the winner, with no other U.S. networks having made the call so far.
In an exuberant speech at his Florida campaign headquarters, the former president was joined by his wife, Melania, and several of his children as supporters cheered and chanted “USA.” “We are going to help our country heal,” Trump assured the crowd, calling the Republican victory “a political triumph like our country has never seen before.”
US networks have called crucial swing states Pennsylvania, Georgia, and North Carolina in Trump’s favour, while he leads in others still unconfirmed. Meanwhile, morale sank within the Harris camp, with campaign co-chair Cedric Richmond telling supporters in Washington, “You won’t hear from the vice president tonight, but you will hear from her tomorrow.”
Furthermore, Trump’s Republican Party has seized control of the Senate, flipping two seats to reclaim a slim majority, signalling a major shift in Washington’s power balance.
Globally, the anticipated Trump victory has raised concerns among US allies wary of a return to his nationalist agenda and praise of strongman leaders such as Russia’s Vladimir Putin. However, markets reacted positively: the US dollar strengthened, bitcoin reached a record high, and equities rose as investors placed bets on Trump’s win.
Polling had indicated a razor-thin race between Harris and Trump, who at 78 would be the oldest president inaugurated, and the first with a felony conviction. He faces sentencing in a criminal case on 26 November related to hush money payments, and his persistent denial of the 2020 election loss to Joe Biden remains controversial.
Nonetheless, victory arrived sooner than expected. The mood at Harris’s watch party at her alma mater, Howard University, shifted sharply as results came in. “I am scared,” said attendee Charlyn Anderson. “I am anxious now. I am leaving; my legs can barely move.”
By contrast, jubilant celebrations erupted at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort and nearby watch party. Elon Musk, a vocal Trump supporter, posted a photo of himself with the former president, captioning it, “Game, set, and match” on X, the platform he owns.
Millions of Americans voted on Election Day, with more casting early ballots in a race that will have major consequences for the United States and the world. Voters faced a stark choice: return Trump to the White House or elevate Ms. Harris as the first female president.
In a grim reminder of election tensions, several bomb threats were issued to polling stations in Georgia and Pennsylvania, traced by the FBI to sources in Russia. Though all threats proved to be hoaxes, they disrupted voting in key locations.
Harris, 60, aimed to become the second Black and the first person of South Asian descent to serve as president. Entering the race after Biden’s unexpected departure in July, she focused her campaign on countering Trump’s hardline policies, especially his stance on immigration and support for abortion restrictions.
Trump, touting an aggressive immigration stance, has vowed an extensive deportation campaign. His plans and sharp rhetoric have drawn global scrutiny, particularly from conflict zones in Ukraine and the Middle East. He has indicated intentions to cut US aid to Ukraine, a move with major implications for Kyiv’s ongoing struggle against Russian invasion.
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