Republican Donald Trump has defeated Democrat Kamala Harris to win the 2024 US presidential election after picking up the key battleground states of North Carolina, Georgia, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania. Earlier, he pledged to "heal" the country as results showed the former leader headed for a stunning return to the White House. Republicans have also taken control of the Senate. Harris, meanwhile, has cancelled her election night party.
Trump's election as the 47th president of the United States marks an extraordinary comeback for a former president who refused to accept defeat four years ago, sparked a violent insurrection at the US Capitol, was convicted of felony charges and survived two assassination attempts.
With a win in Wisconsin, Trump has cleared the 270 electoral votes needed to clinch the presidency. That's the same state that put him over the top when he won in 2016.
Trump has claimed an “unprecedented and powerful mandate” to govern – promising the cheering crowd at his election night rally in West Palm Beach that his victory would "truly be the golden age of America”.
Harris, 60, had been hoping to become the first woman president in the country’s 248-year history – and the first black woman and person of South Asian descent to hold the office.
The Vice President has yet to speak following Trump’s victory. However, her campaign co-chair, Cedric Richmond, told supporters gathered at her election night event at Howard University on Tuesday that Harris would return to campus on Wednesday to “address the nation”.
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