By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Donald Trump has declared victory over Kamala Harris in the US presidential election as he stands on the cusp of a historic political comeback.
Trump’s top political minds, including top campaign advisers Susie Wiles and Chris LaCivita, joined Trump on stage. And his political allies were on stage, too, including House Speaker Mike Johnson.
Trump also celebrated a few celebrities in the audience and on stage. Dana White, the CEO of UFC, was on stage with Trump, and the former president called golfer Bryson DeChambeau on stage. Trump also shouted out Elon Musk, the billionaire owner of X, who has become one of his most high-profile supporters. “We have a new star. A star is born: Elon, “Trump said.
Trump has 267 of the 270 electoral votes needed to win the White House. Trump is leading in Michigan and Wisconsin, where his two clearest paths to victory rely on Kamala Harris not winning enough of the outstanding votes in Wayne and Milwaukee counties.
“We overcame obstacles that nobody thought possible,” Trump said. “And it is now clear that we’ve achieved the most incredible political — hey, look what happened, isn’t this crazy? But it’s a political victory.”
Frankly, I believe this was the greatest political movement of all time. There’s never been anything like this in our country or beyond,” Trump said, drawing applause.
He said the movement would “reach a new level” as America began to “heal”.
“Our country needs this very badly,” he added, pledging to “fix our borders and everything about our country”.
Trump described his campaign as a historic achievement, saying, “We overcame obstacles no one thought possible”.
He thanked voters, calling his re-election a “political victory the United States had never seen before”.
I want to thank the American people for the honour of being elected as your 47th president and as your 45th president,” he said.
“To every citizen, I will fight for you, your family, and your future. I will not stop until we’ve delivered the strong, safe, and prosperous America that your children and you deserve.”
Georgia and North Carolina were projected Republican victories, with Pennsylvania trending similarly.
North Carolina — which Trump and Democrat candidate Kamala Harris visited repeatedly while campaigning — became the first swing state to lean red, giving Trump a four-point margin.
The result had been a “magnificent victory”, he said.
Republicans have also been projected to take control of the Senate and retain control of the House of Representatives.
Meanwhile Harris had been expected to address a crowd on election night at Howard University in Washington DC, where she was an undergraduate, but it emerged after midnight that she would not appear. She has made no statement so far.