Donald Trump has been elected as the 47th President of the United States marking a monumental comeback after he defeated Democrat rival Kamala Harris.
Trump will join Grover Cleveland as he becomes the second president to return to office following defeat.
Five results have yet to be declared, Nevada, Arizona, Maine, Michigan and Alaska. However, Trump now has 277 electoral college votes, surpassing the 270 needed to win and Harris’s 224.
Addressing a crowd in the Republican stronghold of Florida, Trump said: “I want to thank the American people for the extraordinary honour of being elected your 47th president… and your 45th president… and every citizen I will fight for you, your family and your future, every single day I will be fighting for you, with every breath in my body.
“I will not rest until we have delivered the strong safe and prosperous America that our children deserve and that you deserve.”
Of the seven swing states, Trump won in North Carolina, Georgia, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin and is leading projections in the remaining three.
His victory was confirmed by securing Wisconsin at 5.37 am ET, however, Trump managed to secure not only the electoral college but the popular vote by 51 per cent to 47.5 per cent.
Trump’s re-election to the White House also marks the first time a convicted criminal has become president after a New York trial found him guilty of falsifying business records to illegally influence the 2016 presidential election through hush money payments to adult actress Stormy Daniels.
Despite ongoing criminal allegations, American voters overwhelmingly voted Republican with the NBC exit poll highlighting for Trump supporters the economy and immigration ranked the most important issues facing America as Democrats cited Democracy as theirs.
Across the globe, world leaders have been congratulating Trump on his historic victory.
British Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer, wrote: “Congratulations President-elect Trump on your historic election victory. I look forward to working with you in the years ahead. As the closest of allies, we stand shoulder to shoulder in defence of our shared values of freedom, democracy and enterprise.”
On the news of a Trump Victory, the dollar surged by its most since 2016 along with global stock markets rallying on the news.
However, Trump’s victory will leave some leaders more worried than others. President Zelensky of Ukraine and Prime Minister Netanyahu will wonder what Trump’s election means for their relationship with the United States as they congratulate Trump.
Netanyahu wrote on X: “Congratulations on history’s greatest comeback! Your historic return to the White House offers a new beginning for America and a powerful recommitment to the great alliance between Israel and America. This is a huge victory! In true friendship.”
Zelensky wrote: “I appreciate President Trump’s commitment to the ‘peace through strength’ approach in global affairs. This is exactly the principle that can practically bring just peace in Ukraine closer.”
The Republican’s success didn’t stop at the Presidency as they flipped several seats and took back the Senate.
A third of the Senate seats were up for election with the Democrats only controlling the upper house with a thin majority of 51-49. Six seats are still to be declared but the Republicans currently hold 52 after Democrat-held Ohio was turned by Trump-backed Bernie Moreno.