On Wednesday, Donald Trump made a big comeback by winning the White House in a landslide victory. Millions of Americans chose to overlook his legal troubles and controversial statements, rallying behind a leader who, if he follows through on his campaign pledges, might push the boundaries of presidential authority.
At 78 years old, Trump secured the election after a tumultuous campaign that included two assassination attempts and Kamala Harris entering the race late after President Joe Biden unexpectedly stepped down.
In her concession speech at Howard University—her alma mater—Harris tried to lift the spirits of those who had hoped she would be the first woman president.
“Don’t lose hope,” she urged her supporters. “This isn’t a moment to give up; it’s time to get to work.” She mentioned that she had reached out to Trump to congratulate him and promised her support during his transition into office. However, she made it clear that she wouldn’t adopt his vision for America.
“While I accept this election result, I will continue fighting for what this campaign stood for,” she stated as some in the audience wiped away tears—“the fight for freedom, opportunity, fairness, and dignity for everyone.”
President Biden is set to speak to the nation at 11 a.m. EST on Thursday. The White House confirmed that he is dedicated to ensuring a seamless transition leading up to Trump’s inauguration on January 20th.
According to Trump’s team, Biden also called him with congratulations and extended an invitation for a meeting at the White House sometime soon.
Trump’s decisive win highlighted how frustrated many Americans are with issues like the economy and border security—and their desire for change was strong enough even if it meant backing someone with such a controversial past as Trump’s: a twice-impeached convicted felon who isn’t quite the political outsider he once claimed to be back in 2016.
He has expressed intentions of having the power to dismiss civil servants he considers disloyal and plans on using federal law enforcement against those he views as adversaries—including other politicians.
Additionally, Trump has offered positions in his administration to notable figures like Tesla CEO Elon Musk—the richest person in the world who has been an active supporter of Trump—and former presidential hopeful Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Musk has poured over $119 million into pro-Trump initiatives, giving him significant sway in helping shape favorable government policies for his companies.
The results came as a surprise, especially since polls had indicated a super tight race leading up to Election Day on Tuesday. Trump managed to win in at least five out of the seven key battleground states, which pushed him past the 270 Electoral College votes required for victory.
He was also ahead in Arizona and Nevada, where they were still counting ballots. Interestingly, he was on track to be the first Republican presidential candidate to win the popular vote since George W. Bush two decades ago! On top of that, his fellow Republicans took control of the U.S. Senate from the Democrats and even expanded their slim majority in the House of Representatives—though we might have to wait a few days for all those results since there are still many races that haven’t been decided yet.
“It was a hell of a good day,” Mitch McConnell, the long-serving Senate Republican leader, remarked. With Republicans now unified in control on Capitol Hill, it opens up opportunities for Trump’s legislative plans—similar to what happened during his first two years from 2017 to 2021 when they pushed through a significant tax cut that primarily benefited wealthy individuals.
America has given us an unprecedented and powerful mandate, Trump declared early Wednesday to an enthusiastic crowd at the Palm Beach County Convention Center in Florida. Following his win, major global stock markets surged, and it looked like the dollar was gearing up for its biggest single-day increase since 2020!
OVERCOMING ODDS
Despite facing consistently low approval ratings, four criminal charges, and a civil ruling against him for sexual misconduct and defamation, Trump managed to win the election.
In May, he made history as the first former U.S. president to be convicted of a crime when a New York jury found him guilty on 34 felony counts related to falsifying business records to hide payments made to a porn star. Many thought his political career was over after his unfounded claims of election fraud incited a mob of his supporters to storm the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021, in an unsuccessful attempt to overturn his loss in 2020.
His attempts to challenge that defeat resulted in two separate indictments; however, it’s anticipated that all criminal cases against him will conclude following his electoral success.
Trump outmaneuvered rivals within his party and ultimately defeated Harris by tapping into voter anxiety over rising prices and what he misleadingly claimed was an increase in crime linked to illegal immigration.
His victory is set to significantly influence U.S. trade policies, climate change initiatives, tax structures for Americans, immigration practices, and foreign relations—particularly regarding the Middle East and Ukraine.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu congratulated Trump and they spoke about the Iranian threat along with collaborating for Israel’s security according to Netanyahu’s office. Meanwhile, Hamas criticized what they termed the blind support from the U.S. towards Israel.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy appreciated Trump’s vow of peace through strength, while Russia stated it would observe whether Trump’s win might expedite an end to the war in Ukraine.
Although Trump has claimed he could resolve the conflict within 24 hours, he hasn’t laid out any concrete plans yet.
His proposals for tariffs could potentially ignite a more intense trade war with China as well as with U.S. allies; additionally, economists warn that his promises of lowering corporate taxes alongside various cuts could lead to increased national debt.
A spokesperson from China’s foreign ministry expressed respect for American voters’ choice and congratulated Trump on becoming president.
Trump also had a conversation with South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol where they agreed on meeting soon and discussed concerns about North Korea supporting Russia in its war against Ukraine along with ongoing military provocations from Pyongyang.
Yoon later told reporters that South Korea would collaborate closely with Trump’s administration to establish an ideal security partnership.
A second term for Trump might deepen divisions between Democrats and Republicans on topics like immigration policy, race relations, gender issues, and reproductive rights since he has vowed to initiate mass deportations targeting undocumented immigrants in the country.
Interestingly enough, Hispanics—who typically lean Democratic—and lower-income families most affected by inflation played a significant role in propelling him toward victory.
It looks like Trump’s support from women, a group that Democrats were hoping would lean their way, actually got better compared to four years ago.
Plus, his dedicated followers—rural, white folks without college degrees—turned out in strong numbers once again, as indicated by the exit polls from Edison Research.