Riding on a strong anti-establishment vote, Republican Donald Trump today scripted history by winning the presidential election of the United States of America (USA), defeating Democrat Hillary Clinton, who was predicted as the clear 'favourite' in the race to the White House.
Snatching a few states that were projected to go the Clinton way, Trump proved pundits and most media projections wrong and led with 276 electoral votes against his Democratic opponent's 218.
Hillary Clinton, minutes ago, called Trump and conceded defeat in the bitterly contested polls, the CNN reported.
Many US-based news channels have, however, refrained from declaring Trump as the winner of the US elections as well as the results of Pennsylvania, which ended in Trump's favour by a thin margin.
Earlier, Hillary Clinton's campaign chairman John Podesta had urged the audience to "wait a little longer" to declare a winner in the presidential race.
"They’re still counting votes and every vote should count. Several states are too close to call, so we’re not going to have anything more to say tonight," said Podesta.
He also asked those at the event to "head home" and "get some sleep," as they would not be making any further announcements.
But, Associate Press and Time Magazine have confirmed the news of Trump winning the US Presidential Election 2016.
With projections from most of the states clear, there was despondency in the Clinton campaign headquarters where many openly wept. Trump supporters were jubilant, repeatedly cheering the Manhattan billionaire.
The New York Times -- for the first time -- gave Trump a whopping 95 per cent chances of becoming the next US President, proving wrong everyone who had predicted a slim Clinton win in one of the most bitterly contested US Presidential elections.
Trump, who only weeks ago looked outsmarted by a confident Clinton, pulled off the battleground states Florida, Ohio and North Carolina, his votes coming mainly from white, working class and rural areas.
Tuesday's election capped months of ugly, personal attacks that took a heavy toll on American voters, many of whom were eager to see a change in Washington.
The markets in the US and elsewhere took a big hit.
CNN projections gave Trump a victory in a majority of the states including Virginia, Georgia, Michigan, New Hampshire, Wisconsin, Montana, Kansas, Nebraska, Missouri, Wyoming, North Dakota, Indiana, Kentucky, West Virginia, South Carolina, Oklahoma, Lousiana, Mississippi and Idaho.
The former Secretary of State's biggest win came from California after early projected victories in New York, Texas, Vermont, Illinois, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Maryland, Rhode Island, Delaware, Connecticut, the District of Columbia and Hawaii.
Here are the live updates:
- Donald Trump wins Georgia\
- Donald Trump wins key state of North Carolina
- Donald Trump wins Missouri, reports AP
- Hillary Clinton wins New Mexico
- NBC projects Trump winner in Louisiana
- Donald Trump wins Arkansas, reports AP
- Hillary Clinton wins New York, reports AP
- Donald Trump wins Mississippi, reports AP.
- Florida Republican Rubio re-elected to US Senate.
- Evans elected to U.S. House in Pennsylvania.
- Ferguson elected to U.S. House in Georgia, reports AP.
- Hillary Clinton wins Rhode Island.
- Hillary Clinton wins Alabama, reports AP.
- DOnald Trump wins Tennessee, projects AP
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