Donald Trump will become the 47th president of the United States, marking a return to power for the Republican.
Vice President Kamala Harris called Trump on Wednesday to concede the race and congratulate him on the win, according to aides of both candidates. Harris reportedly spoke with Trump about the importance of a peaceful transfer of power and being a president for all Americans.
President Trump acknowledged Vice President Harris on her strength, professionalism, and tenacity throughout the campaign, and both leaders agreed on the importance of unifying the country," said Steven Cheung, the Trump campaign communications director.
President Joe Biden also congratulated Trump over the phone and invited him to the White House for a meeting.
"President Biden expressed his commitment to ensuring a smooth transition and emphasized the importance of working to bring the country together," a White House spokesperson said.
Early Wednesday morning, Scripps News and Decision Desk HQ projected Trump would defeat Harris.
Trump locked up the victory after claiming Pennsylvania's 19 electoral votes, putting him at the 270 threshold. He continued to add to his tally with wins in Wisconsin, Nevada and Michigan.
By Wednesday evening, Trump was also projected to win in Arizona, bringing the final projected electoral college count to 312 for Trump and 226 for Harris.
"This was a movement like nobody's ever seen before, and frankly this was, I believe, the greatest political movement of all time," Trump told his supporters who were gathered at a watch party at the Palm Beach County Convention Center.
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The victory caps off a remarkable political comeback for Trump, who was impeached in the final days of his presidency in 2021. At the time, Democrats and many Republicans were critical of Trump for his actions prior to the riots at the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021. Trump was indicted this year for his role in the events of Jan. 6. It’s unclear what will happen to the case, which is being prosecuted by the Department of Justice, once Trump returns to the White House.
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Trump is also set to be sentenced later this month in a New York hush money case and he still faces charges in Georgia, stemming from the 2020 presidential election.
The criminal cases apparently did little to dissuade voters, many of whom favored Trump on the economy and immigration, centerpieces of his campaign.
"We're going to seal up those borders," Trump told his supporters Wednesday morning. "We want people to come back in — but they have to come in legally."
"This will forever be remembered as the day the American people regained control of their country," Trump added.
The 2024 campaign has been anything but straightforward for Trump. For much of the year, he was favored to beat President Joe Biden in a rematch of the 2020 election. In late June, the pair debated in what would go down as one of the most consequential presidential debates in history. After President Biden struggled to clearly articulate his positions, he faced immediate backlash from his party. It would set the stage for the president to drop out of the race and endorse Harris to lead the Democratic ticket.
In addition to a change in opponent, Trump’s safety on the campaign trail was put into question after an assassination attempt at a rally in Pennsylvania in July. Trump was shot in the right ear as he was on stage talking to a large group of supporters.
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Several weeks later, investigators say there was another attempt on Trump’s life. A man was spotted pointing a rifle through a fence at Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Florida, where the former president was golfing. The man was eventually arrested without getting a shot off. Both assassination attempts were condemned by Republicans and Democrats alike.
The election results still reflect a deeply polarized nation – with many Democrats wondering how a new Trump administration will navigate the challenges ahead. For supporters, however, this marks a moment of renewed hope for economic prosperity and a government led by a man who says he puts America first.
"Together we're going to unlock America's glorious destiny," Trump said. "We're going to achieve the most incredible future for our people."
Trump added, "I will not let you down. America's future will be bigger, better, bolder, richer, safer and stronger that it has ever been before."
