On Wednesday (Nov. 6), The Associated Press confirmed that Donald Trump won the U.S. presidency for a second time, beating out Kamala Harris. In a decisive victory, Trump secured the critical states of Wisconsin and Pennsylvania, which provided a combined 29 electoral votes, pushing him past the 270 electoral vote threshold needed to win. As of this article, he continued to hold the lead with the popular vote.
Before the call for Wisconsin, Trump addressed a crowd of supporters at the Palm Beach Convention Center in Florida. Standing alongside his family and team, he thanked everyone while reaffirming claims made throughout his campaign.
“There's never been anything like this in this country... and now it's going to reach a new level of importance because we're going to help our country heal,” he stated. “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, and we've made history for a reason tonight, and the reason is going to be just that.”
Trump continued, “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, that's what we have to have.” Additionally, Trump's running mate, J.D. Vance, campaign manager Chris LaCivita, and UFC head Dana White spoke during the event.
This win marks Trump’s return to office following his 2020 defeat against Joe Biden and role in the events surrounding the Jan. 6 Capitol Riots. Notably, Trump’s victory also made him the first convicted felon to assume the presidency, following a slew of recent legal challenges.
In the Senate, Republicans reclaimed a majority and are projected to hold as many as 56 seats once all votes are counted, per NPR. Control of the House, however, remains uncertain, with several seats still uncalled.