Donald Trump has achieved a historic political comeback, securing a non-consecutive second term as the 47th president of the United States.
His victory over Vice President Kamala Harris marks him as the oldest person to assume the office at age 78 and the first U.S. president with a criminal conviction.
The Associated Press called Wisconsin in Trump’s favour early Wednesday morning, awarding him the 10 electoral votes that pushed his tally to 277—exceeding the required 270. This decisive win has sent shockwaves through the political landscape domestically and abroad, as the former president’s rhetoric and contentious policies promise a departure from the current administration’s path.
In her campaign, Harris, 60, championed reproductive rights and other personal freedoms, positioning herself to become the first female, Black, and South Asian American president. Her loss echoes the unexpected outcome of the 2016 election, when Hillary Clinton suffered a shocking defeat, leaving many supporters stunned and disheartened.
For Trump, this victory caps an improbable comeback after a series of legal challenges. Despite being branded a “threat to democracy” by Harris and some former White House officials, he remained popular among evangelical Christians and working-class white voters, while also gaining traction with Black and Latino voters.
Trump’s hard-line approach to immigration, and calls for a military response to “enemies within” the country, have raised fears of protests and potential unrest. His platform called for a sweeping deportation plan, characterized undocumented migrants as “animals” with “bad genes,” and framed his criminal indictments as politically motivated attacks. Trump also vowed to pardon those involved in the January 6 Capitol insurrection and hinted at using the military for domestic enforcement.
This election cements Trump as the second U.S. president to serve non-consecutive terms, following Grover Cleveland’s two non-consecutive administrations in the 19th century. As Trump prepares to return to the White House, the nation awaits the unfolding of this unprecedented chapter in American history.