US election LIVE | Xi congratulates Trump, calls for stronger US-China dialogue
Harris calls Trump, discusses importance of a peaceful transfer of power and being a president for all Americans
Four years ago, Donald J Trump was a sullen man after he lost the presidential race to Joe Biden. And when a violent mob, mostly his supporters, stormed the US Capitol weeks later, it appeared an end to the Republican leader's political career. Four years later, 78-year-old Trump made an unprecedented and forceful political comeback in American history by cruising towards a second term in the White House.
With Wisconsin win, Trump cleared the 270 electoral votes. And that too, after being convicted of a felony and surviving two assassination attempts.
In March, Trump received his party's nomination and it was formalised at the Republican National Convention (RNC) in July after remaining in the political wilderness for months following several court cases. In effect, he became the first former president to get the nomination for the top office after being convicted of a felony.
Trump still faces four criminal indictments and it is not immediately clear what will happen to the cases. The former president also survived an impeachment trial in 2021 that concluded with his acquittal.
Trump was shot at during a rally in Pennsylvania in July, just days ahead of the Republican National Convention.
As his victory appeared imminent, Trump addressed his supporters in Florida with a message: "We are going to help our country heal." As he eyed the White House, Trump carefully crafted his campaign messages promising to rebuild the economy and rid the US of illegal immigrants.
From the time he left office after his loss in the 2020 presidential election to his nomination as the Republican candidate in the 2024 race, Trump continued to dominate the American news cycle and the country's psyche.
He is now the oldest person in US history to be elected president.
Also read | On Kamala Harris, Usha Vance and 'childless cat ladies'
Read/watch The Federal's extensive coverage of the US polls here.
Read the updates here.
Live Updates
- 6 Nov 2024 10:29 AM GMT
2015 Paris Agreement on Climate Change looks shaky: Congress leader
2015 Paris Agreement on Climate Change looks shaky after Trump's win, says Jairam Ramesh
- 6 Nov 2024 10:05 AM GMT
Trump: 'Many people have told me that God spared my life for a reason'
“This is a moment like nobody’s ever seen before. Frankly, this was, I believe, the greatest political movement of all time. There’s never been anything like this in this country,” Donald Trump told his supporters in Palm Beach, Florida as he was set to become US president again.
“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. We made history for a reason tonight,” he added.
"Every citizen, I will fight for you, for your family and your future. Every single day, I will be fighting for you. And with every breath in my body, I will not rest until we have delivered the strong, safe and prosperous America that our children deserve and that you deserve. This will truly be the golden age of America," he said.
"That's what we have to have. This is a magnificent victory for the American people that will allow us to make America great again," Trump said in his maiden address to the nation after his electoral victory.
"We will make America safe, strong, prosperous, powerful and free again. And I'm asking every citizen all across our land to join me in this noble and righteous endeavour," Trump said as he specifically mentioned the battleground States in his speech.
"In addition to having won the battleground states of North Carolina, and I love these places, Georgia, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. We are now winning in Michigan, Arizona, Nevada and Alaska, which would result in us carrying at least 315 electoral votes. We also have won the popular vote," he said.
This campaign, he said, has been historic in many ways.
“We've built the biggest, the broadest, the most unified coalition. They've never seen anything like it in all of American history. They've never seen it. Young and old, men and women, rural and urban. We had them all helping us tonight. They came from all corners, union, non-union, African-American, Hispanic-American, Asian-American, Arab-American, Muslim American. We had everybody, and it was beautiful,” he said.
“It was a historic realignment, uniting citizens of all backgrounds around a common core of common sense. We are the party of common sense. We want to have borders. We want to have security. We want to have things be good and safe. We want a great education. We want a strong and powerful military, and ideally, we don't have to use it. We had no wars. For four years, we had no wars, except we defeated ISIS. We defeated ISIS in record time, but we had no wars. They said he would start a war. I'm not going to start a war. I'm going to stop wars,” he said.
Trump described it as a massive victory for democracy and for freedom.
“Together, we're going to unlock America's glorious destiny, and we're going to achieve the most incredible future for our people,” he asserted. Trump said he did about 900 rallies in his election campaign.
“Now we're going on to something that's far more important because the rallies were used for us to be put in this position where we can really help our country. That's what we're going to do. We're going to make our country better than it ever has been...Many people have told me that God spared my life for a reason,” Trump said referring to the assassination attempts on him during the election campaign this year.
“And that reason was to save our country and to restore America to greatness, and now we are going to fulfil that mission together. We're going to fulfil that mission. The task before us will not be easy, but I will bring every ounce of energy, spirit, and fight that I have in my soul to the job that you've entrusted to me. This is a great job. There's no job like this. This is the most important job in the world,” he said.
“Just as I did in my first term, .. I will govern by a simple motto, promises made, promises kept. We're going to keep our promises. Nothing will stop me from keeping my word to you, the people. We will make America safe, strong, prosperous, powerful, and free again. I'm asking every citizen all across our land to join me in this noble and righteous endeavour. That's what it is. It's time to put the divisions of the past four years behind us. It's time to unite. And we're going to try. We're going to try. We have to try. And it's going to happen,” he said.
- 6 Nov 2024 10:02 AM GMT
Kamala Harris is a fighter, she will make a comeback, say people of her ancestral village in TN
Although, Democrat Kamala Harris does not appear to be winning the US presidential election, she will make a comeback as she is a fighter, said residents of Thulasendrapuram, the village of her maternal ancestors, on Wednesday.
Since morning, locals were glued to television screens, monitoring election results, and many checked trends on media websites. Several residents also visited the Sri Dharma Sastha Perumal temple to pray for Harris's victory.
However, as the day progressed, it became apparent that former U S president Donald Trump was leading the race, edging out his Democratic rival Kamala Harris, in an election that virtually divided America into two camps.
"We were hoping for her victory and had planned celebrations bigger than Deepavali. We made arrangements to burst firecrackers, distribute sweets, offer temple pujas, and host a community lunch," J Sudhakar, DMK Tiruvarur district representative and Thulasendrapuram village leader, told PTI.
"But success and failure are part of life. It was a tough fight, and you must admire her fighting spirit. She is a fighter and will make a comeback," he added.
Other villagers shared similar sentiments, expressing confidence that Harris would continue her journey as a fighter and someday become the US president, even if it didn’t happen this time.
Sudhakar noted that everyone in the village had hoped Harris, whose maternal ancestors hailed from Thulasendrapuram, would become the first woman US president.
"We hope she will win next time and visit our village. When that day comes, we will give her a grand reception. Meanwhile, we extend our best wishes to Donald Trump and hope he fosters good relations with India and promotes global peace," Sudhakar added. PTI
- 6 Nov 2024 9:56 AM GMT
Trump promises to bring 'golden age' for US
Donald Trump on Wednesday promised to bring a “golden age” for America, as he appeared poised to win the presidential election with a mandate he called “unprecedented and powerful”.
“This will truly be a golden age for America. This is a magnificent victory that will also help us to make America great again," Trump, 78, told his supporters in the wee hours of Wednesday at Palm Beach Convention Centre in Palm Beach, Florida. He was accompanied by most members of his family, including his wife Melania Trump.
Vice President-elect J D Vance and his Indian American wife Usha Vance were also present on the podium. Trump praised both his running mate and Usha for their support throughout the process.
"This was a movement like nobody's ever seen before, and frankly, this was, I believe, the greatest political movement of all time. There's never been anything like this in this country and maybe beyond, and now it's going to reach a new level of importance because we're going to help our country heal," said the president-elect. The inauguration is scheduled for January 20.
- 6 Nov 2024 9:47 AM GMT
Trump has 267 of 270 electoral votes needed to win
Trump has 267 of the 270 electoral votes needed to win and is leading in key races left to be called, including Michigan and Wisconsin, reports Associated Press (AP)
