Early Wednesday morning, in an historic election result, Donald J. Trump was elected the 47th president of the United States of America, defeating Vice President Kamala Harris to become just the second president to win two non-consecutive terms.
The Associated Press officially called the race for Trump around 5:35 a.m., after calling Wisconsin for Trump, giving him 277 electoral votes. Fox News had previously called the election for Trump at 1:50 a.m., having called the state of Wisconsin for him at that time.
Trump also won the swing states of North Carolina, Georgia and Pennsylvania. As of 6 a.m. on Wednesday, the Associated Press reported that Trump was ahead in the other swing states of Michigan, Arizona and Nevada. Trump is also projected to win the popular vote, the first time a Republican has done so since 2004.
Trump’s victory comes after his 2020 election loss to Joe Biden, as well as the Jan. 6 Capitol attack and subsequent impeachment, which many believed would doom his political career. Almost four years later, having been indicted multiple times, having been convicted of falsifying business records in New York, and having survived two assassination attempts, Trump is set to return to the White House on Jan. 20, 2025. Trump will be the first president to serve nonconsecutive terms since Grover Cleveland was elected a second time in 1892.
Trump took to the stage at a convention center in West Palm Beach, Florida around 2:20 am, joined by his running mate and Vice President-elect JD Vance, his family and political allies, as Lee Greenwood’s “God Bless the U.S.A.” played, as is customary at Trump rallies.
Trump claimed victory in his speech, thanking his supporters and praising them for being a part of what he called “the greatest political movement of all time.”
In his remarks, Vance praised Trump for completing “the greatest political comeback of all time,” and promised to “lead the greatest economic comeback in American history.”
Trump too emphasized the struggles he had overcome to win the election.
“We overcame obstacles that no one thought possible,” he said.
Trump pledged to help the country heal, saying he would unite America through “success.”
He particularly focused on his promises to stop illegal immigration at the southern border and improve the economy during his speech.
“This will truly be the golden age of America,” Trump said.
“I’m asking every citizen all across this land to join me in this noble and righteous effort,” he continued. “It’s time to put the divisions of the past four years behind us.”
Trump touted the new Republican majority in the Senate and expressed optimism about the chances of a Republican majority in the House of Representatives, claiming the American people had given him a “mandate” to govern. Trump touted the Republican Party as “the party of common sense,” and called the result “a massive win for democracy and freedom.”
Trump did not mention Harris or Harris’ supporters during his speech. As of early Wednesday morning, Harris had yet to make a statement to the race, though she is expected to speak to supporters.
