By Agencies – published by CNA, and Thai Newsroom
Washington – Donald Trump was elected the 47th president of the United States on Wednesday (Nov. 6), 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.
The former president’s victory in the swing state of Wisconsin pushed him over the threshold. As of 5.45 a.m. ET (1045 GMT) Trump had won 279 electoral votes to Harris’ 223 with several states yet to be counted.
He also led Harris by about 5 million votes in the popular count.
“It’s a political victory that our country has never seen before,” Trump told a victory party in Florida.
As supporters chanted “USA!”, the 78-year-old added that his “magnificent” win would “allow us to make America great again.”
World leaders swiftly pledged to work with Trump, led by Israel and Ukraine where the course of raging conflicts could depend on the new president and his isolationist “America First” foreign policy.
Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra posted a congratulatory message as follows:
“I wish to congratulate President Donald Trump @realDonaldTrump and Senator JD Vance @JDVance for the victory in the US Presidential election. I look forward to working with you to advance the Thailand-US long-standing alliance for the benefits of our peoples and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region.”
Vice President Kamala Harris, who only entered the race in July after President Joe Biden dropped out, ran a centrist campaign that highlighted Trump’s inflammatory messaging and use of openly racist and sexist tropes.
But his apocalyptic warnings about immigration and championing of isolationism found their mark with voters battered by the post-Covid economy and eager for a change from the Biden years.
The campaign pointed to a nail-bitingly close contest, but the results came surprisingly fast, delivering a crushing victory that included wins in the swing states of Georgia, North Carolina and Pennsylvania.
Gloom descended on her campaign and Harris cut short a planned watch party and cancelled a speech. She is now due to speak later on Wednesday.
Change and turmoil
Trump is the first president in more than a century to win a non-consecutive second term.
He is also the only person to be elected as a convicted felon – he will face sentencing in a New York court for fraud on Nov. 26.
Trump is on course to break another record as the oldest-ever sitting president during his four-year term. He will surpass Biden who is set to step down in January at the age of 82.
The dollar surged, stocks rallied and bitcoin struck a record high on Wednesday as news of his victory emerged.
But turmoil likely lies ahead.
Trump’s victory comes with a promise of radical policy shifts – not just at home but also abroad.
He has repeatedly suggested he would end the conflict in Ukraine by pressuring Kyiv to cede land to Russia, and his threat of mass deportations of illegal immigrants has stirred deep concern in Latin America.
He also returns to the White House as a climate change denier, poised to dismantle his predecessor Biden’s green policies and jeopardise global efforts to curb human-caused warming.
Even before Trump’s victory was fully confirmed, foreign leaders rushed to send congratulations.
These included longtime Trump allies, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Also messaging Trump was Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who is predicted to see a rapid reduction in US military aid once Biden leaves office.
Zelenskyy said he hoped Trump’s “impressive victory” would help his country find a “just peace”.
The Kremlin said Russian President Vladimir Putin, on whom Trump has often lavished praise, did not plan to congratulate him.
Nato’s chief, Mark Rutte, said Trump, who has frequently expressed displeasure with the US-led alliance, would make it “strong.”
Showman’s instinct
For all his dark promises of political revenge against enemies at home and his criticisms of allies overseas, Trump remains famously unpredictable when it comes to matching words with actions.
His campaign rallies, filled with grievance, insults and misinformation, featured extreme rhetoric.
But he won positive coverage with viral online moments that played on his everyman appeal and his showman’s instinct – like his appearance at a McDonald’s drive-thru and impromptu news conference from a garbage truck.
Star supporters like tech baron Elon Musk helped appeal to young men.
He campaigned on tax cuts, less regulation and the most significant increase in import tariffs in nearly a century to promote growth and boost manufacturing, despite warnings of trade wars and higher prices for US consumers.
Trump often lurched into foul language and violent imagery. But that hard-charging style played well with his unfailingly loyal base, which sees him as a Washington outsider.
When Harris joined the race in July, replacing Biden, she soon closed the yawning gap Trump had in opinion polls.
Her message of unity, focus on abortion rights and warnings of the threat Trump posed to democracy appeared to resonate, evidenced by a huge surge in fundraising.
Ultimately, however, she fell short of what would have been a historic win as the first woman elected to the White House.
CAPTIONS:
Top: Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump speaks at an election night watch party at the Palm Beach Convention Center on Nov 6, 2024, in West Palm Beach, Fla. Photo: AP/Evan Vucci and published by CNA
First insert: Donald Trump gestures at supporters after speaking during an election night event in Florida early in the morning of Nov. 6. Photo: Jim Watson/ AFP via Getty Images and published by Yahoo!News
Second Insert: Supporters watch returns at a campaign election night watch party for Republican presidential nominee former president Donald Trump at the Palm Beach Convention Centre on Nov. 6, 2024, in West Palm Beach, Fla. Photo: AP/Evan Vucci and published by CNA
Front Page: Republican presidential nominee and former US President Donald Trump addresses supporters during his rally for the 2024 US Presidential Election, in Palm Beach County Convention Centre, in West Palm Beach, Florida, US on Nov. 6, 2024. Photo: Reuters/Brendan McDermid and published by CNA
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