Donald Trump will be the winner of the US presidential election, according to the Associated Press, which means he will return for a second, non-consecutive term in the White House.
The Associated Press described the race in favor of Trump over Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris in one of the most prominent and controversial election campaigns in modern American history.
This comes after a speech Trump gave to his supporters on Wednesday morning, in which he claimed that he had won a “strong and unprecedented mandate.”
With his victory in Wisconsin, Trump obtained the 270 electoral votes needed to win the presidency.
His victory pushes the country into a new, uncertain era: one in which the commander-in-chief is a convicted felon who tried to overturn his previous election loss and who has been described by his former chief of staff as well as his critics as a “fascist.”
Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump, left, dances as former first lady Melania Trump looks on after speaking at an election night watch party, Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024, in West Palm Beach, Florida.
AP Photo/Alex Brandon
The rest of the world – especially long-time allies like Canada – has been watching closely to assess the potential impacts of a second Trump presidency.
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Trump has promised sweeping tariffs on foreign imports, mass deportations of illegal immigrants, and a transactional approach to alliances like NATO. He also raised fears of retaliation against his political opponents, whom he described as the “enemy within,” and even suggested unleashing the US National Guard on protesters and other critics.
Trump’s return to the top of the Republican Party comes less than four years after hundreds of his supporters – angry at Trump’s false claims of widespread voter fraud – stormed the US Capitol on January 6, 2021, to boycott the certification of the US president. Joe Biden’s victory.
However, Trump was able to rally around voters who were frustrated by the rising costs of living caused by high inflation during Biden’s presidency. Republicans who once disavowed him and blamed him for the Jan. 6 attack eventually threw their support behind Trump after an uncompetitive primary.
Since then, Trump has faced four criminal indictments against him — two of which related to his efforts to overturn the 2020 election — which Trump and his allies have described as “lawfare” and election interference.
A New York jury convicted him last May of 34 felony counts of falsifying business records for purposes of influencing voters in the 2016 election. The case was scheduled to be sentenced on November 26, but this case – and other criminal cases Cases against him are now in doubt after Trump’s victory.
Harris and Democrats worked tirelessly to appeal to undecided and independent voters upset by Trump’s scandals and rhetoric. She received numerous endorsements from prominent Republicans, some of whom served with Trump during his first presidency.
The result represents a devastating blow to Democrats, who have pinned their hopes on Harris to reverse their party’s fortunes.
Trump was on track to easily beat Biden, who has faced economic headwinds and escalating international crises during his presidency along with growing concern about his age and physical fitness as he runs for re-election.
His poor performance in the debate against Trump in June, where Biden appeared weak and unable to complete the rulings, sparked panic among Democrats. Three weeks later, Biden gave in to mounting pressure to withdraw from the race, and Harris was quickly named his replacement without a primary for voters.
Although Harris’ rise has energized Democrats and raised a record $1 billion from donors in just three months, she has faced challenges that show how she will differ from the unpopular Biden administration in which she served.
-With files from The Associated Press
&Copy 2024 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
