Former President Donald Trump has officially secured over 270 votes from the electoral college, making him the president-elect and securing him the presidency.
This win came after a defeat by Biden in the 2020 election. Many didn’t think this win was possible, especially after a 2020 defeat, showcasing a rise from the ashes win.
Trump will be the first former president in over 130 years to return to office for non-consecutive terms. Grover Cleveland was the last to win non-consecutive terms, winning in 1884 and 1892. Trump is also the oldest man elected to the role of president, beating Biden by a few months.
The current electoral count is Trump at 295 and Kamala Harris at 226 electoral votes, according to the New York Times. Other networks have a slightly different count, such as BBC tallying the race with Trump at 301 and Harris at 226. No matter the tally, it is clear that Trump has won.
Major wins for Trump last night were securing the all-important swing states of Georgia, North Carolina and Wisconsin. Trump also took the vital, and probably the most important state of them all, Pennsylvania. Trump also won Michigan’s 15 electoral votes. In 2016, Trump won Michigan, but in 2020, the state went to Biden.
Trump is also leading in the popular vote, with over 73 million compared to Harris’s 69 million. Although final votes have not been confirmed, the last time a Republican won a popular vote was in 2004 when George W. Bush defeated John F. Kerry. The popular vote is not what is needed to win the presidency; however, it is notable that Trump has captured the difficult majority, something that Republicans have struggled with in the past.
Trump declared victory on Wednesday morning around 2:30 a.m. Eastern Standard Time at his celebration in Florida.
“We’re going to help our country heal. We have a country that needs help, and it needs help very badly. We’re going to fix our borders, we’re going to fix everything about our country and we’ve made history for a reason tonight,” Trump said in his victory speech.
Harris delivered her concession speech on the campus of Howard University on Wednesday. She urged her supporters to never stop fighting and to remain hopeful.
“The outcome of this election is not what we wanted, not what we fought for, not what we voted for. But hear me when I say, hear me when I say, the light of America’s promise will always burn bright as long as we never give up and as long as we keep fighting,” Harris said.
Trump has been congratulated by various world leaders, including Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and United Kingdom Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
“Good to speak with President-elect @realDonaldTrump to congratulate him on his historic victory. I look forward to working together. From defence and security to growth and prosperity, the relationship between the UK and US is incredibly strong and will continue to thrive for many years to come,” Starmer wrote in an X post.
Trump will be sworn in on January 20 in the new year, officially transferring power from Biden to Trump. As of now, Trump is currently preparing for his transition to the presidency. He has already announced his campaign manager, Susie Wiles, will serve as his chief of staff. Wiles will be the first woman ever to hold the position.
