- Trump Wins North Carolina: After being declared the winner of North Carolina, Trump secured his first key swing state, gaining momentum in the race.
- Trump Wins Georgia: About an hour later, Trump was declared the winner of Georgia, a state he narrowly lost to Joe Biden in the 2020 election, signaling a significant shift.
- Trump Wins Pennsylvania: Soon after, Trump was projected as the winner in Pennsylvania, one of the crucial battleground states that would play a major role in determining the outcome.
- Trump Wins Wisconsin: Trump’s victory in Wisconsin confirmed his win, putting him over the 270 electoral votes needed to secure the presidency.
- Trump’s Path to Victory: With victories in these key states, Trump appeared on track to potentially sweep all seven swing states, further solidifying his path to victory.
- Delay in Harris’s Speech: As defeat seemed imminent, Kamala Harris’s team announced that she would delay her speech. The lectern at Howard University, where her supporters expected her victory speech, remained covered due to rain.
- Trump Declares Victory: While official results were still pending, Donald Trump declared victory to reporters in Palm Beach, Florida, claiming a historic win. He emphasized the urgency of healing the nation and vowed to secure borders and fix issues, positioning his victory as a key moment in history.
- Trump’s Victory Speech: Trump promised a “golden age of America” and reaffirmed his goal of making America great again. He paused as the crowd chanted “USA, USA, USA.” He also declared that for the first time in U.S. history, America had granted his movement an “unprecedented and powerful mandate.”
- Senate and MAGA Wins: Trump highlighted that Senate races in multiple states such as Montana, Nevada, and Pennsylvania were won by the MAGA movement, signaling a political shift.
- Introduction of JD Vance: Trump introduced his running mate, JD Vance, who praised the victory as “the greatest political comeback” in U.S. history. Vance also promised that under Trump’s leadership, there would be a major economic resurgence.
- Shifting Atmosphere at Mar-a-Lago: As the vote counting continued, three Trump campaign officials reported that the mood at Mar-a-Lago had shifted from “cautious optimism” to “optimism,” reflecting growing confidence in the outcome.
Zelenskyy and Netanyahu Congratulate Trump on His Election Victory
- Sir Keir Starmer (UK Prime Minister): He congratulated Trump on his historic victory, expressing confidence in the continued success of the UK-US special relationship.
- Volodymyr Zelenskyy (Ukrainian President): Zelenskyy praised Trump’s “peace through strength” approach and expressed hope that under his leadership, the United States would play a strong role in advancing peace, particularly in Ukraine.
- Benjamin Netanyahu (Israeli Prime Minister): Netanyahu hailed Trump’s victory as the “greatest comeback in history,” emphasizing the significance of the moment for global affairs.
- Sami Abu Zuhri (Hamas official): While not offering a direct congratulations, Zuhri noted that Trump would be tested on his claim of being able to end the Gaza conflict within hours, referencing the challenges ahead in the region.
- Ursula von der Leyen (European Commission President): She congratulated Trump “warmly” and expressed interest in working together.
- Mark Rutte (NATO Secretary-General): Rutte also extended congratulations, looking forward to collaborating with Trump to promote peace through strength.
Disappointment for Harris: What Went Wrong in the Latest Election?
- Tight Race: The election initially appeared to be closely contested as Americans voted, with both candidates showing strong support in their respective areas.
- Trump Gains Momentum: As projections came in from traditionally Republican states like Florida, Texas, and Alabama, Trump pulled ahead in the race.
- Harris’s Stronghold Support: Kamala Harris’s support remained strong in her party’s typical strongholds, including East and West Coast states like New York, Delaware, and California.
- Harris’s Campaign Response: As the night wore on, the crowd at Harris’s gathering at Howard University began to disperse after midnight. Cedric Richmond, the co-chairman of Harris’s campaign, addressed the audience, emphasizing that many votes still needed to be counted and some states had not yet been decided. He reassured the crowd that the campaign would continue fighting for every vote to be counted, and promised Harris would speak the following day.
