Donald Trump was elected the 47th president of the United States on Wednesday, marking an extraordinary political comeback.
Trump secured victory after clinching Wisconsin, which put him over the 270 electoral votes needed to win the presidency, ultimately reaching a total of 276 electoral votes. His win in key battleground states, including North Carolina, Georgia, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin, sealed his path to the White House.
In addition to Trump’s victory, Republicans regained control of the Senate, picking up seats in West Virginia and Ohio. House races in New York and California are still ongoing, with Democrats aiming to recover several seats that Republicans had gained in recent years.
“We overcame obstacles that nobody ever thought we could,” he said on election night. He vowed to fight for every family and for their futures. “This will truly be the golden age of America,” he vowed.
Trump’s win comes after a tumultuous period, including his refusal to accept defeat in the 2020 election, a violent insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, multiple felony charges, and two assassination attempts. He is now the first convicted felon to be elected president. Despite facing criminal charges in four separate cases, Trump managed to secure broad voter support, especially among White voters without a college education and expanding his appeal to Black and Latino men.
Trump ran a campaign heavily focused on economic issues, particularly inflation, which resonated with voters who expressed dissatisfaction with the state of the economy. Exit polling revealed that independent voters in Georgia broke for Trump by a significant margin, with the economy topping their concerns. His stance on immigration also played a major role in attracting support, with voters believing Trump would better address illegal immigration at the southern border.
At 78, Donald Trump becomes the oldest person ever elected president, surpassing the age of Joe Biden, who withdrew from the 2024 race in July. As the nation faces questions about how Trump’s ongoing legal troubles will intersect with his presidency, his victory marks a pivotal moment in U.S. political history.
