Donald Trump announced his victory in the US election while addressing ecstatic supporters in Florida.
Speaking at West Palm Beach, he told the large audience: “Look what happened – is this crazy?" – adding: "I want to thank the American people for the extraordinary honour of being elected your 47th president.
“I will fight for you and your family and your future, every single day I will be fighting for you with every breath in my body.”
The 78-year-old declared to the audience that it was a “magnificent victory for the American people” and that he had also won the popular vote, which he had not been able to do in his presidential campaigns in 2016 and 2020.
Kamala Harris's chances of winning are considerably reduced now that Mr Trump has won in Georgia, Pennsylvania, and North Carolina, three crucial battleground states, and is in the lead in a number of others.
According to her campaign chair, Ms Harris will now wait until later on Wednesday (November 6) to speak to her supporters. After the polls closed, the vice president was supposed to speak at Howard University, her alma mater, but as the results started to come in, the atmosphere soured.
How many terms can a president serve in the US?
The US Constitution's 22nd Amendment restricts the president to two elected terms.
The Hoover Commission, which President Harry S Truman established to restructure and enhance the federal government, offered 273 recommendations to Congress, including this amendment.
The amendment was ratified on February 27, 1951, after the formal request was submitted to Congress on March 24, 1947.
Donald Trump’s non-consecutive win
Mr Trump will become the second president in US history to serve non-consecutive terms, after Grover Cleveland, who did two stints in the White House from 1885-1889 and 1893-1897.
Beyond this fact, Mr Cleveland and Mr Trump share other historical similarities. Both individuals were from New York and came into politics as "outsiders" promising to change a "corrupt" America.
Before running for the White House, neither had held a federal job or served in the US Congress, yet they both were able to win over American voters with promises of change.
Both men's routes to the presidency were also shaped by formidable opponents. Mr Trump's recent challenge against Ms Harris is reminiscent of his victory over former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in 2016.
Mr Cleveland's own rise, meanwhile, included defeating Republican leader James G Blaine in 1884 and then removing President Harrison in 1892 to regain the office.
These similarities are further noteworthy because, like Mrs Clinton, Mr Blaine was accused of corruption during his presidential campaign and had previously served as Secretary of State.
Can Trump serve two consecutive terms for a combined total of three terms?
Mr Trump’s presidency ended following his defeat in the 2020 presidential election to former Democratic vice president Joe Biden, after one term in office.
By law, he is only allowed to serve one more term. One term is four years.
