In a dramatic and unexpected turn, Donald Trump declared victory on Wednesday, pledging to “heal” a divided America as results placed him within reach of defeating Vice President Kamala Harris.
Speaking to an energized crowd at his Florida campaign headquarters, Trump appeared with his wife, Melania, and family, celebrating a political comeback that only Fox News has so far declared.
With chants of “USA” ringing out from jubilant supporters, the 78-year-old Republican expressed optimism. “We are going to help our country heal,” he said, calling the outcome “a political victory our country has never seen before.” Major networks confirmed his leads in critical swing states like Pennsylvania, Georgia, and North Carolina, but they have yet to call other battlegrounds where Trump maintains a lead.
Meanwhile, a wave of disappointment swept Harris’s camp. Campaign co-chair Cedric Richmond announced that the Vice President would not speak Wednesday, leaving her supporters at a subdued watch party in Washington, D.C., to anticipate an address the following day.
Trump’s potential return to the White House could ripple globally, with allies on edge over his nationalist stance and admiration for figures like Russia’s Vladimir Putin. But financial markets showed early optimism, with the dollar rising and Bitcoin hitting a record high amid the anticipated Trump victory.
Despite a campaign fraught with stark warnings and political tension, millions of Americans cast ballots for a race with historic stakes, ultimately faced with a choice between granting Trump an unprecedented comeback or making Harris the first female president in U.S. history.
As the results set in, celebrations intensified at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago, while Harris supporters left a watch party at her alma mater, Howard University, many anxious about the future.
