On November 6th, Donald Trump won the presidential election over Kamala Harris with 312 of the 538 electoral college votes–along with the popular vote–making him the 47th president of the United States and the second president to ever serve two non-consecutive terms in office in the nation.
“We’ve achieved the most incredible political thing,” Trump triumphantly stated before his victory was declared, claiming that “America has given us an unprecedented and powerful mandate”. Trump seized four of the contested swing states, where his majority vote in Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Georgia, and North Carolina brought him over the 270 electoral college votes required to win the election.
Although Harris was able to take the traditional democratic strongholds such as New York and California, she failed to gain the traction required in the swing states, causing her to trail behind Trump for the majority of them. After her defeat in the race, she held her concession speech at Howard University, her alma mater. “Hear me when I say, the light of America’s promise will always burn bright,” she said. “As long as we never give up. And as long as we keep fighting.” Her twelve-minute address starkly contrasted Trump’s response to his defeat four years prior—a loss he continues to dispute. Political analysts attribute Harris’s loss to her unwavering alignment with the unpopular Biden administration, highlighted by her response when asked about potential policy differences: “Not a thing comes to mind.”
The months leading up to the election itself were tumultuous, with occurrences ranging from the harrowing attempted assassination of Trump at a rally to the current president, Joe Biden, announcing his withdrawal from the race. These events all sparked publicity for the election, leading to voter turnout rivalling the 2020 elections. Multiple celebrities and notable figures came into the spotlight to endorse the respective candidates, with some taking bold moves to support their chosen party. Elon Musk launched a controversial campaign where voters in seven battleground states could win a million dollars if they signed a petition to support free speech and gun rights, effectively encouraging votes for Trump. This lottery was revealed to be rigged, with winners pre-screened to ensure they aligned with Republican values.
Trump has made numerous promises, some of which lack clarity in execution. He vowed to close the Mexican border on his first day of office to carry out the biggest mass deportations of undocumented migrants in US history, in addition to completing the infamous wall along the border. On top of border control, Trump has promised to “end inflation” through sweeping tax cuts and the implementation of tariffs; he has promised ones of at least 10% on most foreign goods, although economists warn that this could drive up prices for consumers.
As the nation processes this historic election, attention now turns to the presidential inauguration, scheduled for Monday, January 20, 2025.
