In a dramatic address, Donald Trump declared victory Wednesday night, pledging to “heal” the nation as he edged closer to a stunning comeback against Vice President Kamala Harris.
While only Fox News had officially called the race in his favor, other networks had yet to confirm the outcome.
In Florida, an exuberant Trump, joined by his wife Melania and several family members, took to the stage at his campaign headquarters to cheers of “USA” from jubilant supporters.
Networks have called key swing states like Pennsylvania, Georgia, and North Carolina for the 78-year-old Trump, while he holds a lead in several remaining battlegrounds.
Meanwhile, a somber atmosphere fell over Harris’s camp, with her campaign co-chair Cedric Richmond announcing she would address her supporters the following day.
The victory also saw the Republican Party regain control of the Senate, flipping two seats to secure a majority—a significant blow to the Democrats.
Trump’s potential return to the White House has prompted concerns among U.S. allies in Europe and Asia over a resurgence of his nationalist policies and his praise for authoritarian leaders like Russia’s Vladimir Putin.
While global markets responded with a surge in the U.S. dollar and record highs for bitcoin, polls leading up to Election Day had reflected a tightly contested race between Trump and Harris, who would be the oldest president at the inauguration, as well as the first felon and only the second president to serve non-consecutive terms.
Trump, who faces sentencing on November 26 over a criminal conviction related to hush-money payments, also remains under scrutiny for his continued denial of his 2020 election loss to Joe Biden.
The atmosphere grew tense at Harris’s watch party at Howard University, where supporters grew visibly anxious as results poured in.
In contrast, celebrations at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort and nearby watch party intensified.
Tech mogul Elon Musk, who has supported Trump and is set to lead a government efficiency commission if Trump assumes office, posted a photo of himself with the Republican candidate, captioning it, “Game, set, and match.”
Millions of Americans had cast their votes in an election with far-reaching consequences, weighing the choice of Trump’s historic comeback against Harris’s bid to become the first woman president. The tension across the nation was heightened by bomb threats against polling stations in Georgia and Pennsylvania, which were later revealed to be hoaxes originating from Russia, according to the FBI.
Harris, 60, who aimed to become the first Black and South Asian person to hold the presidency, joined the race following Biden’s withdrawal in July. Her campaign focused on Trump’s threats to democratic institutions and his stance on abortion bans. Trump, in turn, ran a campaign marked by strong anti-immigration rhetoric, including promises to deport millions of undocumented immigrants.
With global attention fixed on the U.S. election, including in conflict zones like Ukraine and the Middle East, Trump’s anticipated victory has raised questions about America’s foreign policy trajectory, particularly concerning his indication of reduced support for Ukraine amid its ongoing battle against Russian invasion.
