DONALD Trump declared victory and vowed to “heal” the nation in an exuberant speech Wednesday night, despite only Fox News having officially called the race. As jubilant supporters chanted “USA,” Trump took the stage at his campaign headquarters in Florida, flanked by his wife Melania and several of his children.
“We are going to help our country heal,” the former president said. “It’s a political victory that our country has never seen before.”
While Trump has secured Pennsylvania, Georgia, and North Carolina, according to some networks, other major networks have yet to declare a winner in remaining states, where he leads over Democratic candidate and current Vice President Kamala Harris.
At Harris’s watch party in Washington, the mood turned somber. Campaign co-chair Cedric Richmond addressed supporters, saying, “You won’t hear from the vice president tonight, but you will hear from her tomorrow.”
Adding to Democratic concerns, the Republican Party regained control of the Senate, flipping two seats to end the Democratic majority.
Global Reactions and Economic Shifts
A Trump victory could bring significant global repercussions, with allies in Europe and Asia bracing for a potential return of his nationalist policies and his controversial praise of leaders like Russia’s Vladimir Putin. Yet, as results came in, the US dollar surged, Bitcoin hit a record high, and markets rallied, reflecting investor confidence in the stability of a Trump-led government.
A Historic Comeback Amid Controversies
Polls had shown a close race between Trump and Harris, who would be the oldest president inaugurated and the first to serve non-consecutive terms since Grover Cleveland. Trump’s victory also comes as he faces sentencing over a criminal case related to hush money payments and continues to contest the legitimacy of his 2020 loss to Joe Biden.
For supporters at Mar-a-Lago and nearby events in Florida, celebrations intensified as results continued to favor Trump. Elon Musk, who backs Trump and could lead a government efficiency commission under his administration, posted a photo with him on social media, declaring, “Game, set, and match.”
A Divisive Campaign with High Stakes
Millions of Americans turned out on Election Day, deciding between granting Trump a historic comeback or making Harris the first woman to hold the presidency. Fears of potential violence lingered throughout the day, with bomb threats reported at polling stations in Georgia and Pennsylvania—later confirmed by the FBI to be hoaxes attributed to Russian sources.
Harris, 60, aimed to make history as the first Black and South Asian president. She entered the race after Biden withdrew in July, while Trump campaigned despite facing criminal convictions and an assassination attempt. Throughout her campaign, Harris emphasized Trump’s threat to democracy and opposed his immigration and abortion policies.
With the world watching, particularly in Ukraine and the Middle East, Trump’s return signals possible shifts in U.S. foreign policy, including his stated intention to reduce aid to Ukraine. This election stands as a defining moment, with both the nation and the world awaiting the potential impacts of Trump’s second term.
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