Republican presidential candidate and former US President Donald Trump addresses supporters during his rally for the 2024 US presidential election at the Palm Beach County Convention Center in West Palm Beach, Florida, US on November 6, 2024. Photo courtesy: Reuters
Donald Trump claimed victory and promised to “fix” the country on Wednesday (November 6, 2024) as the results left him on the brink of defeat. kamala harris Great return to the White House.
Despite this his powerful speech came fox news declared him the winner, yet no other American network has made the call.
Also read: US Election 2024 Results Highlights
As excited supporters cheered and chanted “USA”, Mr Trump took the stage at his campaign headquarters in Florida with his wife Melania and several of their children.
“We’re going to help our country recover,” the Republican former president said.
“This is a political victory the likes of which our country has never seen before.”
The US network has called the swing states of Pennsylvania, Georgia and North Carolina for the 78-year-old, and he has the Democratic vice presidential lead in others, although he has not yet called.
Disappointment quickly spread in Ms. Harris’s camp.
“You won’t hear from the vice president tonight but you’ll hear from him tomorrow,” Cedric Richmond, co-chair of Ms. Harris’ campaign, told a watch party in Washington as supporters left.
Another blow to the Democrats, also to Mr. Trump’s Republican Party seized control of the senateFlipped two seats to overturn a narrow Democratic majority.
Trump’s victory threatens to send shock waves around the world, as US allies in Europe and Asia fear a return to his nationalist policies and praise of dictators like Russia’s Vladimir Putin.
But the US dollar surged and Bitcoin hit record highs, while most equity markets advanced as traders bet on Mr Trump’s victory as the results came in.
mood swings
Polls for weeks had shown a close race between Ms Harris and Mr Trump, who would be the oldest president ever inaugurated, the first convicted president and the first in history to serve non-consecutive terms. There will only be others.
Mr Trump also faces sentencing on November 26 in a criminal case involving hush money payments, while controversy remains over Joe Biden’s denial of his 2020 election defeat.
But in the end victory came surprisingly quickly.
As the results came in, the atmosphere at Ms. Harris’s watch party at Howard University — her former college and a historically black university in Washington — changed rapidly.
“I’m scared,” said Charlene Anderson. “I am worried now. I am leaving, my legs can barely move.”
In contrast, celebrations intensified at Mr Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort and nearby watch party in Florida.
Tech tycoon Elon Musk, who has endorsed Mr Trump and is standing to lead a government efficiency commission under him, posted a photo of himself with the Republican.
“Game, set and match,” Musk said on X, the social media network he co-owns with the Tesla electric vehicle firm and the SpaceX company.
In this race with significant consequences for the United States and the world, millions of Americans lined up to vote throughout Election Day – and millions more voted early.
They were deciding whether to hand Mr Trump a historic comeback or make Harris the first woman in the world’s most powerful job.
In a stark reminder of the tensions – and fears of outright violence – dozens of bomb threats were made against voting centers in Georgia and Pennsylvania.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) said the threats appeared to originate from Russia, which Washington has accused of trying to interfere in the election. All the threats were false but succeeded in disrupting the proceedings.
deep rhetoric
Ms Harris (60) was aiming to become the second black and first person of South Asian origin to become president.
He dramatically re-entered the race when Mr Biden dropped out in July, while Mr Trump – impeached twice while president – has since escaped two assassination attempts and a criminal conviction.
He drove home his message that Mr. Trump is a threat to democracy and opposed the abortion restrictions Mr. Trump supported.
Mr Trump, in a campaign filled with dark rhetoric, has vowed an unprecedented deportation campaign of millions of undocumented immigrants.
The election is being closely watched across the world, including in Ukraine and the war zones of the Middle East. Trump has signaled he will cut aid to Kiev in its fight against Russian aggression.
published – November 06, 2024 01:37 PM IST