Donald Trump has now been elected the 47th President of the United States, after clearing the 270 electoral votes needed to win the election. The results mark the end of a historically competitive election season that included two assassination attempts and a shift to a new Democratic nominee.
Trump earlier declared victory over Harris after being projected to win the key battleground states of Pennsylvania, North Carolina and Georgia. AP later called Wisconsin for Trump. When he takes office on Jan. 20, Trump will inherit many challenges, including increased political polarization and global crises.
Trump’s transition operation is now underway, working out of its headquarters in Palm Beach, Florida. The transition team will have access to the Project 2025 database, even though Trump has attempted to distance himself from it. Additionally, more than 200 draft executive orders have been written for Trump to sign once he takes office.
Trump’s reelection is not the only win for the party, as Republicans have also won control of the Senate, retaking the chamber for the first time in four years. This gives the GOP majority power in confirming Trump’s Cabinet for the next four years, as well as choosing a Supreme Court justice in the case of a vacancy. Seats in the House of Representatives still remain up for grabs, with over 100 races yet to be called.
Trump’s win leads many to ask: what happens with his criminal cases? According to legal experts, this victory will delay and possibly wipe out Trump’s four pending legal cases. He is currently awaiting sentencing in his hush money case in New York, and his other state and federal cases are also still in the process.
Trump won 56% of the Florida vote, marking the third time he has won the state in a presidential election. Florida has appeared to be shifting rapidly to the right since Trump’s 2.3% victory in 2020, as well as Gov. Ron Desantis’s reelection in 2022 by almost 20 percentage points. Part of this shift is due to collapsing support among Hispanic voters in Florida.
In the midst of a divided country, Trump’s return to power signals a period of doubt and tension. The only thing certain is that the world will be watching America’s next chapter very closely.
