Donald Trump has won a historic second term in the White House in a shocking political comeback four years after leaving office, comfortably beating Vice President Kamala Harris.
The Republican surpassed the magic number of 270 Electoral College votes early on Wednesday morning after winning key battleground states.
He also won 51 percent of the popular vote, picking up 72.5m votes to Harris’s 68m as she fell well short of Joe Biden’s 2020 total of 81m.
The president-elect will now consider appointments to his second administration, as his conservative allies and campaign surrogates begin jostling for position in the hope of securing a top role.
Harris called Trump to congratulate him on his victory yesterday afternoon, speaking of the importance of a peaceful transfer of power and his serving as a president for all Americans.
In her subsequent concession speech at Howard University, the Democrat said that, while she concedes the election, she does not concede the fight that fueled her campaign.
“The fight for freedom, opportunity, fairness, and dignity of all people, and ideals at the heart of this nation… that is a fight I will never give up.”
Key Points
- Donald Trump defeats Kamala Harris to win the presidency
- Who could be in Trump’s cabinet?
- Harris delivers concession speech saying she will never give up fight
- Trump’s MAGA allies say they can finally admit Project 2025 ‘is the agenda’ for his second term
- When will Trump officially take office?
Scott Jennings: Election result ‘revenge of the regular old working class American’
11:00
Joe Sommerlad
The former Republican strategist has gone viral with this assessment of the vote, offered as part of Anderson Cooper’s CNN panel on Election Night.
Jennings, often a highly divisive presence, argued that the outcome served as “the revenge of the regular old working class American”, as well as “an indictment of the political information complex”.
He explained that the final weeks of the campaign had been dominated by accusations of Nazism and fascism against the Trump campaign and media narratives like the Puerto Rico joke, Liz Cheney’s support for Harris, disaffected Nikki Haley voters potentially tanking the Trump vote and, before that, the popularity of Tim Walz and Harris-Walz camouflage hats.
None of those talking points ultimately mattered, Jennings argued, accusing the liberal media of “ignoring the fundamentals” in the process, meaning the state of the economy and the cost of living, which is what the public finally voted on.
Revenge of the average, everyday working class American. My reaction to Trump’s crushing victory on @cnn pic.twitter.com/JkhixYVGLS
— Scott Jennings (@ScottJenningsKY) November 6, 2024
Here’s John Bowden on why the pollsters got it so wrong – again.
Watch: Morning Joe host says Trump win shows US is ‘far more to the right’ than ever in his lifetime
10:45
Joe Sommerlad
MAGA allies say they can finally admit Project 2025 ‘is the agenda’ for Trump’s second term
10:30
Joe Sommerlad
Donald Trump’s allies have boasted they can finally admit that Project 2025 is on “the agenda” when the president-elect returns to the White House next year.
Steve Bannon, Trump’s former White House chief strategist who walked free from prison just days before the election, took to his War Room podcast on Wednesday to consider the former president’s upcoming second term.
Bannon cited a social media post by conservative activist Matt Walsh, who baited Kamala Harris supporters about the right-wing blueprint.
“Now that the election is over I think we can finally say that yeah actually Project 2025 is the agenda. Lol,” Walsh posted on X in a likely bid to get a rise out of his political opponents.
“Matt Walsh, I think, is a very smart and funny guy," Bannon said on his podcast.
“Now that the election is over, I think we can finally say that, yeah, actually, Project 2025 is the agenda.”
Rhian Lubin reports.
Re-election of Rashida Tlaib and Ilhan Omar one of few election upsides for young progressives
10:10
Joe Sommerlad
In amongst all the bad news for Democrats yesterday, one bright spot for the party’s progressive wing was the re-election of representatives Rashida Tlaib and Ilhan Omar in Michigan and Minnesota respectively.
The first two Muslim women to enter Congress are critics of Israel and important voices for Arab Americans.
They are also members of “The Squad” along with New Yorker Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a collective that lost two other members earlier this year when Jamaal Bowman and Cori Bush were de-selected in favor of opponents who had substantial financial support from the pro-Israel lobby group the American Israel Public Affairs Committee.
Congratulations to @RashidaTlaib on her re-election!
— Sunrise Movement (@sunrisemvmt) November 6, 2024
She has bravely fought for Palestinian liberation and championed the interests of working-class people in Detroit.
We are honored to stand with Congresswoman Tlaib in this fight. pic.twitter.com/lU0befG7uh
Thank you, CD5. Our hard work was worth it. We knocked on 117,716 doors. We made 108,226 calls. And we sent 147,323 texts. This is a victory for ALL of us who believe that a better future is possible. I can’t wait to make you all proud over the next two years. pic.twitter.com/FMDUNo2Jb8
— Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) November 6, 2024
Daily Show host has five-word question for America after it elected first convicted felon president
09:50
Joe Sommerlad
An angry Desi Lydic urged Americans to take a “good f***ing hard look” at themselves on last night’s show as she dissected Trump’s victory over Harris – and claimed the electorate would vote for anyone but a woman.
James Liddell reports.
Elon Musk claims ‘being a normal person’ won Trump the election
09:30
Joe Sommerlad
The social media kingmaker spoke to Tucker Carlson yesterday and suggested that the Republican nominee won the vote this week because he went on Joe Rogan’s podcast and came across as “a normal person.”
The Harris campaign failed to agree a time slot with Rogan and the influential broadcaster duly delivered a late endorsement for Trump, which in turn saw him thanked by UFC boss Dana White at the candidate’s victory party in Florida in the early hours of yesterday morning.
Here’s more from Rhian Lubin.
Obamas and Clintons ‘wish Trump and Vance well’ after election win
09:10
Joe Sommerlad
Barack Obama, Michelle Obama, Bill Clinton and Hillary Clinton all posted on social media yesterday wishing Trump and running JD Vance well after their election win (presumably through gritted teeth), leading by example in frankly accepting the result.
Both couples had been on the campaign trail for Harris but their efforts ultimately fell short.
Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren, a 2020 Democratic presidential candidate, had a more pragmatic message for disillusioned and disappointed party activists yesterday:
My message about the election results: pic.twitter.com/Z1X9F6jWik
— Elizabeth Warren (@ewarren) November 6, 2024
Here’s more from Kelly Rissman.
Tim Walz says campaigning with Kamala Harris was ‘the honor and privilege of my life’
08:50
Joe Sommerlad
The Minnesota Governor was great fun on the campaign trail and attacked his task with zest.
Here he is paying tribute to the defeated nominee:
Thank you Vice President @KamalaHarris for putting your faith in me, and selecting me as your running mate. Campaigning at your side was the honor and privilege of my life. pic.twitter.com/TmjNVezTFM
— Tim Walz (@Tim_Walz) November 7, 2024
The Indy video team meanwhile has this look at where it all went wrong for the Democrats.
Justice Department reportedly looking to ‘wind down’ criminal cases against Trump
08:30
Joe Sommerlad
The US Department of Justice (DOJ) is reportedly trying to “wind down” the federal criminal cases against President-Elect Donald Trump before he returns to the White House.
DOJ officials are considering ways to fizzle out the two federal criminal cases that Trump faces – one involving his efforts to overturn the 2020 election results and the other related to improperly storing a trove of classified documents – in order to comply with its long-standing policy not to prosecute sitting presidents.
The policy in question states: “The indictment or criminal prosecution of a sitting President would unconstitutionally undermine the capacity of the executive branch to perform its constitutionally assigned functions.”
New York attorney general Letitia James, however, is striking a more defiant note.
NY AG Letitia James says she "did not expect" Trump to win the election, but is prepared to use "the law to fight back":
— The Recount (@therecount) November 6, 2024
"We will not compromise our values, or our integrity, or our principles. ... My office has been preparing for several months because we've been here before." pic.twitter.com/6OspehD0jr
Here’s more from Kelly Rissman.
Democrat anger as blame game begins
08:10
Joe Sommerlad
“It should come as no great surprise that a Democratic Party which has abandoned working class people would find that the working class has abandoned them,” Bernie Sanders said in a statement yesterday, setting the tone for the Democratic inquest already ongoing.
“While the Democratic leadership defends the status quo, the American people are angry and want change. And they’re right.”
Green Party candidate Jill Stein likewise told Newsweek: “The Democrats have really lost credibility. They are seen as bought and paid for… Their primaries are rigged, power is top down.
“The Democrats betrayed their base. I don’t see them coming back. The economic disparities are real. People are tired of the Democrats. They need to move over and allow a proper opposition.”
New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy said: “It’s time to look in the mirror and make sure [we] either change our substance, if it needs to be changed, or change the way we communicate what we stand for.”
Most damning of all was Philadelphia Democratic Chair and former congressman Bob Brady, who told NBC10: “I would’ve liked to see the Harris campaign – especially the national campaign – coordinate with us a little bit. Talk to us a little bit. Give us a little bit more resources. Show us some respect. Didn’t happen.
“They were just elitist and went out there, did their own thing and didn’t include Democratic city committee or (ward leaders) or committee people. They just didn’t do it.”
Here’s more from Graig Graziosi.
Who could be in Trump’s cabinet?
07:50
Joe Sommerlad
Now Donald Trump has won the 2024 presidential election, all eyes are on who he might appoint to his top team.
The individuals selected for cabinet positions are meant to be the president’s close allies, ideally with some interest or experience in the department they head.
But the former president has made it clear his priority will be appointing loyalists rather than those best suited for a position – a takeaway from his first administration where he faced record turnover.
One person who has already ruled himself out is JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon, who has said he has no current plans to leave the banking sector.
Ariana Baio reports on some of the names being thrown out there.
Trump will meet with Biden at the White House ‘shortly’
07:30
Joe Sommerlad
The president-elect spoke to Joe Biden late on Wednesday by phone and the two men will soon meet in person in the West Wing to discuss the peaceful transfer of power.
That was not a gesture Trump extended to the Democrat when he left the White House.
“President Joe Biden called President Donald J Trump to congratulate him on his victory and extended an invitation to the White House to ensure a smooth transition between the current Administration and the incoming Administration,” Trump campaign communications director Steven Cheung said in a statement.
“President Trump looks forward to the meeting, which will take place shortly, and very much appreciated the call.”
In their own statement, the White House said the president “expressed his commitment to ensuring a smooth transition and emphasized the importance of working to bring the country together”.
Biden is due to make a televised address this afternoon to reflect on the election.
What happens next? The key dates until Trump’s second inauguration
07:00
Joe Sommerlad
Good morning!
Donald Trump has won the presidency for a second time, overcoming impeachments, indictments, two assassination attempts and unforced errors on the campaign trail that would have taken down most other political candidates.
But he won’t take office for another couple of months.
During that time, states will certify the results, electoral votes will be counted and a new Congress will convene.
Here are the dates that matter leading up to Inauguration Day on January 20 2025.
Bethenny Frankel slams Kamala Harris for ‘hobnobbing with celebrities’
06:30
Oliver O'Connell
Bethenny Frankel has criticized Vice President Kamala Harris for spending too much time “hobnobbing with celebrities” during her failed presidential campaign against Donald Trump.
The former Real Housewives of New York City star, 54, said she felt the tactic was not successful with the American public.
Kevin E G Perry reports.
Russian state TV gloats over Trump victory
06:15
Oliver O'Connell
Russian leaders and media figures responded with a mix of jubilation and caution after Donald Trump won the 2024 presidential election.
“There is only one place in the world where the mood is worse than it is at Kamala Harris’s campaign headquarters: Bankova Street, the office of the president of Ukraine in Kyiv,” the host of the Russian TV show The Big Game, Dmitry Suslov, said after the election, according to a translation from Russia analyst Julia Davis.
Josh Marcus has the story.
RFK Jr plans on clearing out entire departments of the FDA
06:00
Oliver O'Connell
Robert F Kennedy Jr, a likely political appointee in Trump’s new government, has already announced his intentions to clear out departments of the Federal Drug Administration.
On the campaign trail, Trump promised to let the former independent presidential candidate take over health, food and medicines government sectors during his second administration despite his much-derided obsession with debunked conspiracies.
Michelle Del Rey reports.
Why were the polls wrong about Trump?
05:45
Oliver O'Connell
Kamala Harris’s collapse Tuesday evening was shocking to many in the political press, who had expected a tight election but one that, if anything, looked to be trending in her favor heading into Election Day.
There were real — or so it was thought — signs of her impending success, analysts thought.
John Bowden looks at what went wrong:
Who could be in Trump’s Cabinet?
05:30
Oliver O'Connell
Now Donald Trump has won the 2024 presidential election, all eyes are on who he appoints as his top team.
The individuals selected for Cabinet positions are meant to be the president’s close allies, ideally with some interest or experience in the department they head.
But the former president has made it clear his priority will be appointing loyalists rather than those best suited for a position – a takeaway from his first administration where he faced record Cabinet turnover.
Ariana Baio reports.
Steve Bannon floats idea of Marjorie Taylor Greene serving as head of Homeland Security
05:15
Oliver O'Connell
Former Trump advisor and convicted felon Steve Bannon has floated the idea that Marjorie Taylor Greene should be appointed to the president-elect’s new administration as the head of Homeland Security.
Fellow Trump ally Greene, who was re-elected to Congress for the third time on Tuesday, spoke to Bannon following the sweeping Republican victory.
Mike Bedigan reports.
2024’s election results don’t just resemble Trump’s 2016 win over Hillary Clinton. They’re almost identical
05:00
Oliver O'Connell
In the end, Donald Trump’s 2024 election victory was decided by Wisconsin, just as it was eight years ago in the presidential race against Hillary Clinton.
Clinton was the favorite to take the White House in 2016 and her defeat sent shockwaves around the country and the world.
This year’s results and how election night played out don’t just resemble the 2016 race – it was almost identical.
Rhian Lubin reports.
Doctors fear disease outbreaks if RFK Jr has federal health oversight
04:45
Oliver O'Connell
Rates of routine vaccinations among children are dropping, the percentage of children who are exempted from vaccine requirements is at an all-time high and cases of measles are being reported across the country.
And it could soon get worse.
Alex Woodward reports.
04:30
Oliver O'Connell
ANALYSIS: Another big winner of the US election — cryptocurrency
04:20
Oliver O'Connell
Anthony Cuthbertson writes:
As soon as it became apparent that Donald Trump was going to win the presidency, bitcoin’s price began to rally. A few hours before the Republican candidate declared victory, and with leads in all of the crucial swing states, the world’s most valuable cryptocurrency hit a new all-time high.
Continue reading...
Report: Australian ambassador to US deleted messages about ‘traitor’ Trump
04:10
Oliver O'Connell
Kevin Rudd, the Australian ambassador to the United States, deleted tweets criticizing Donald Trump in the campaign’s final week.
Rudd, the former Australian prime minister, scrubbed his X page of past anti-Trump remarks days before the Republican clinched the 2024 election on Wednesday morning, according to The Sydney Morning Herald.
He took down posts that referred to Trump as “the most destructive president in history” and as a “traitor to the West,” the outlet reported.
Kelly Rissman reports.
Mapped: Trump’s 2024 election win
04:00
Oliver O'Connell
Donald Trump has clinched victory in the 2024 presidential election, sweeping several critical swing states to secure 292 Electoral College votes in a dramatic and historic night for America.
The Republican eliminated his Democratic rival Kamala Harris’s chances of making history as the first female president, and will now return to the White House in January 2025 to serve a second term.
Trump cemented his nationwide victory as the announcement of Wisconsin’s results took him over the line to surpass the 270 electoral votes needed to win the presidency.
Olympian Simone Biles calls on Biden to take action before term ends
03:55
Oliver O'Connell
US Olympic champion Simone Biles has a message for President Joe Biden following Donald Trump’s win over Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election.
Mr Biden,
I need you to stand up, straighten your back and make some things shake before your departure
xoxo the women in america
Mr Biden,
— Simone Biles (@Simone_Biles) November 6, 2024
I need you to stand up, straighten your back and make some things shake before your departure
xoxo the women in america
Absent from family photo, Melania speaks out for first time since Trump’s election win
03:50
Oliver O'Connell
Former First Lady Melania Trump commented publicly for the first time since her husband’s election victory.
Hours after President-Elect Donald Trump clinched enough electoral votes for a second term, Melania posted on X on Wednesday evening about the former first couple’s coming return to the White House.
Despite being by her husband’s side to vote and as he claimed victory, she was absent from a family photo of “the whole squad” that even included Elon Musk.
Kelly Rissman reports.
China’s Xi Jinping reacts to Trump win
03:46
Oliver O’Connell
State media in China reports that President Xi Jinping said of Donald Trump’s win that the international community expects “both countries will respect each other, coexist peacefully, and achieve win-win cooperation”.
He added that US-China cooperation is a long-term goal and reiterated “both countries gain from cooperation and lose from confrontation”.
With reporting from Reuters
Despite little open support for it, Californians may vote to keep forced prison labor
03:40
Oliver O'Connell
California voters unexpectedly look set to reject a proposed constitutional amendment that would end involuntary labor in state prisons, despite the proposition facing little public opposition and coming to the ballot with strong support from state leaders.
As of Wednesday evening, nearly 55 percent of voters were in support of rejecting the amendment, compared with just over 45 percent in favor of supporting it, with over half of the estimated vote total reported, according to The New York Times.
The lack of enthusiasm comes as something of a surprise in deep-blue California.
Josh Marcus reports from San Francisco.
What is South Korea’s 4B movement?
03:30
Oliver O'Connell
The South Korean 4B movement has seen a spike in interest amid the shocking results from the 2024 US presidential election.
Olivia Hebert explains what it is...
Kinzinger says he’s ‘doubling down’ to protect democracy
03:15
Oliver O'Connell
Adam Kinzinger, the anti-Trump former congressman who joined Liz Cheney as the only other Republican on the House select committee investigating January 6, is not done yet, despite Donald Trump’s election win.
He wrote on X this evening: “After last night, I have taken a long look and made a decision: I’m doubling down. We will protect our democracy, and never give up.”
“NEVER,” he added.
After last night, I have taken a long look and made a decision:
— Adam Kinzinger (Slava Ukraini) (@AdamKinzinger) November 7, 2024
I’m doubling down. We will protect our democracy, and never give up.
NEVER
He later followed up with a video statement on his Substack:
Watch: Lara Trump floats ‘blanket federal election process that every state abides by’
03:10
Oliver O'Connell
Lara Trump: Maybe now is the time, once Trump is inaugurated, we go forward and maybe we have something that passes so that we can have a blanket federal election process that every state a abides by pic.twitter.com/E2hDVfvopL
— Acyn (@Acyn) November 7, 2024
Democrat anger as blame game begins for Kamala Harris’ devastating loss
03:00
Oliver O'Connell
Democrats and political talking heads have initiated the circular firing squad as they search to blame anyone else for Donald Trump’s victory in the 2024 election.
Vice President Kamala Harris and the Democratic Party lost the White House, lost the Senate, and still may lose the House. The Supreme Court has a conservative majority that handed Trump a presidential “get out of jail free” card for almost anything he does in office between 2025 and 2028.
So, who is to blame?
Melania Trump says new administration will ‘safeguard the heart of our republic – freedom'
02:52
Oliver O'Connell
The majority of Americans have entrusted us with this important responsibility.
— MELANIA TRUMP (@MELANIATRUMP) November 6, 2024
We will safeguard the heart of our republic – freedom. I anticipate the citizens of our nation rejoining in commitment to each other and rising above ideology for the sake of individual liberty,…
Trump and Orban have ‘big plans for the future'
02:45
Oliver O'Connell
Mar-a-Lago calling. Just had my first phone conversation with President @realDonaldTrump since the elections. We have big plans for the future!
— Orbán Viktor (@PM_ViktorOrban) November 6, 2024
Watch: Trump legal team to argue New York criminal sentencing shouldn’t go ahead
02:40
Oliver O'Connell
NEW: Trump legal team is going to argue to judge that his upcoming NY criminal sentencing shouldn’t happen now that he is President-elect. pic.twitter.com/xfu8Yzo1xV
— Paula Reid (@PaulaReidCNN) November 7, 2024
Harris issues defiant two-word vow after election loss
02:30
Oliver O'Connell
Trump transition co-chairs give update on first steps toward new administration
02:21
Oliver O'Connell
Trump-Vance Transition Co-Chairs Linda McMahon and Howard Lutnick released the following statement on the progress and next steps for the transition to the new administration:
“Since the formation of President Trump’s transition organization and our announcement as Co-Chairs in August, we have been preparing for President Trump’s next administration. In the days and weeks ahead, President Trump will be selecting personnel to serve our nation under his leadership and enact policies that make the life of Americans affordable, safe, and secure. We are proud to volunteer our time to present President Trump with a wide array of experts from which he can select for his team. The American people decisively elected President Trump in a historic victory and delivered a mandate that puts the working men and women of our nation first. As he chooses the best people to join his team and best policies to pursue, his transition team will ensure the implementation of President Trump’s common sense agenda starting on Day 1.”
CNN’s Kaitlan Collins says there is an expectation that Trump could announce who he has selected for some key positions within days.
Palm Beach is teeming with potential members of a second Trump admin tonight. The expectation is Trump could announce his decision on some key positions within days.
— Kaitlan Collins (@kaitlancollins) November 7, 2024