Florida: Donald Trump was elected the 47th president of the United States on Wednesday, an extraordinary comeback for a former president who refused to accept defeat four years ago. As he won the elections, Trump thanked his supporters by dancing to the classic hit 'YMCA,' showcasing his signature style of blending entertainment with political messaging. "We’ve achieved the most incredible political thing," Trump said addressing his supporters in his home state, Florida.
With a win in Wisconsin, Trump cleared the 270 electoral votes needed to clinch the presidency.
“I want to thank the American people for the extraordinary honour of being elected your 47th president and your 45th president,” Trump told throngs of cheering supporters in Florida even before his victory was confirmed.
“We’ve been through so much together, and today you showed up in record numbers to deliver a victory,” Trump said. “This was something special and we’re going to pay you back,” he said.
In his second term, Trump has vowed to pursue an agenda centred on dramatically reshaping the federal government and pursuing retribution against his perceived enemies.
Donald Trump's historic win
The results cap a historically tumultuous and competitive election season that included two assassination attempts targeting Trump and a shift to a new Democratic nominee just a month before the party’s convention. Trump will inherit a range of challenges when he assumes office on Jan. 20, including heightened political polarisation and global crises that are testing America’s influence abroad.
His win against Harris, the first woman of colour to lead a major party ticket, marks the second time he has defeated a female rival in a general election. Harris, the current vice president, rose to the top of the ticket after Biden exited the race amid alarm about his advanced age. Despite an initial surge of energy around her campaign, she struggled during a compressed timeline to convince disillusioned voters that she represented a break from an unpopular administration.
No words from Harris
The vice president has not publicly spoken since the race was called. Her campaign co-chair, Cedric Richmond, said she would speak Wednesday: “She will be back here tomorrow.”
Trump is the first former president to return to power since Grover Cleveland regained the White House in the 1892 election. He is the first person convicted of a felony to be elected president and, at 78, is the oldest person elected to the office. His vice president, 40-year-old Ohio Sen. JD Vance, will become the highest-ranking member of the millennial generation in the US government.
Congratulations started pouring in from world leaders even before Trump’s victory was announced.
(With inputs from agency)
