The US election was on a knife’s edge going into polling day
Donald Trump declared victory in the 2024 presidential election as he addressed supporters in Florida.
After winning the key swing state of Pennsylvania, the Republican took to the stage at his campaign’s watch party in West Palm Beach where over the cheers, he said it had been the ‘greatest’ ever political movement.
Saying they’d ‘overcome obstacles’ and promising to fix ‘everything’, Trump thanked the crowd for making him their ’47th president’ as well as the 45th US president.
Joined on stage by JD Vance, his wife Melania Trump and campaign staff, he said he’s excited to ‘make America great again’.
“We have taken back control of the senate,” Trump added. “Wow, that’s good.”
Donald Trump says he’s the new president (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
The presidential race is, of course, yet to actually be called – and there could still be quite some time until it is. But Trump’s already called it a ‘political victory’ as the crowd kept chanting: “USA, USA, USA.”
“And it also looks like we’ll be keeping control of the House of Representatives,” he added.
Having not yet achieved the official required electoral college votes, Trump believes the ‘golden age’ of America is about to begin.
“This is a magnificent victory for the American people, that will allow us to make America great again,” he added.
Ahead of polling day, voters in the 2024 US presidential election faced a stark choice between two candidates who have offered hugely contrasting approaches and visions in their quest to be the so-called leader of the free world.
Tens of millions of US citizens cast their votes early; either voting by post or in person prior to 5 November.
The Republicans haven’t been announced as winners just yet but he reckons he’s in (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
Those voting on polling day mostly encountered a smooth process around the country, with isolated reports of some standard hiccups that often happen. This included long lines to queue, technical issues and errors with printing ballot papers.
Harris, the Democratic vice president, had set her sights on becoming the first female president ahead of election day, promising to work directly with Republicans to tackle economic worries and other issues. It was a stance that was radically different from that taken by the outgoing president of the United States, Joe Biden.
Trump, the Republican former president who lost to Biden in 2020 after beating Hillary Clinton in 2016, promised to replace thousands of federal workers with those loyal to him and his MAGA movement.
He also said he would impose sweeping tariffs on allies and foes alike, and stage the largest deportation operation in US history.
The two candidates spent the waning hours of the campaign overlapping in Pennsylvania, the biggest battleground state.
Following on from the 2020 election, Trump launched an effort to overturn the outcome of the election that ended in the 6 January insurrection at the US Capitol in 2021.
Featured Image Credit: Sky News/Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
