'We made history'; Trump claims victory in US presidential election

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
6 Nov 2024 11:45

The Republican candidate spoke with a sense of triumph, pledging to usher in a "golden age" for the United States.

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Former US President and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump gestures at supporters after speaking during an election night event at the West Palm Beach Convention Center in West Palm Beach, Florida, on November 6, 2024. (AFP)

Donald Trump declared victory on Wednesday, promising to "heal" the nation and claiming a remarkable political comeback in his race against Vice President Kamala Harris for the White House.

Speaking to a jubilant crowd of supporters at his campaign headquarters in West Palm Beach, Florida, Trump, joined by his wife Melania and children, said, “We are going to help our country heal,” describing the win as “a political victory that our country has never seen before.”

The Republican candidate spoke with a sense of triumph, pledging to usher in a "golden age" for the United States.

“This was a movement like nobody’s ever seen before, and frankly, this was, I believe, the greatest political movement of all time. There’s never been anything like this in this country, and maybe beyond,” he said on stage.

The 78-year-old thanked Americans for electing him, vowing to fight for them and their future "every single day."

"I will be fighting for you and 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. This will truly be the golden age of America," Trump said.

"We’re going to fix our borders. We’re going to fix everything about our country," he added.

'Time to unite'

Acknowledging the millions of Americans who did not vote for him, Trump promised to bring "every ounce of energy, spirit and fighting that I have in my soul" to the presidency and to unite the country.

"It’s time to put the divisions of the past four years behind us. It’s time to unite, and we’re going to try.”

Trump took a moment to praise tech mogul Elon Musk, who heavily invested in his campaign, especially in Pennsylvania, saying, “He’s a character. He’s a special guy, he’s a super genius."

“We have to protect our geniuses. We don’t have that many of them. We have to protect our super geniuses," he stressed.

He also reiterated his tough stance on immigration, a key issue in his campaign.

“We’re going to have to seal up those borders, and we’re going to have to let people come into our country. We want people to come back in, but we have to, we have to let them come back in. But they have to come in legally,” he said.

Trump also claimed victory in the popular vote, though final results have not yet been confirmed. "Winning the popular vote was very nice, very nice," he said, despite no Republican candidate winning the popular vote since George W. Bush in 2004.

Republicans cementing gains over Democrats in US elections

Trump appeared poised for a sweeping victory over Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election on Wednesday, potentially marking one of the most remarkable comebacks in US political history, AFP reported.

Fox News, followed by The Hill, became the first networks to declare Trump the winner early Wednesday, with other networks having already called key swing states—including Pennsylvania, Georgia, and North Carolina—for the former president. Trump held a lead over the Democratic vice president in several remaining states.

Further cementing the Republican victory, the GOP regained control of the Senate by flipping two Democratic seats, overturning the narrow Democratic majority.

Kamala Harris has won the state of Minnesota, gaining 10 new electoral votes.

No Republican presidential candidate has carried Minnesota since Richard Nixon in 1972, although Donald Trump came close in 2016 when he fell just 1.5 percentage points short of Hillary Clinton.… pic.twitter.com/GLrupnMuZM
— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) November 6, 2024

Supporters gathered in Florida, waiting for the 78-year-old Trump to speak at his watch party. Meanwhile, a somber mood set in at Harris's campaign event, where aides confirmed she would delay her planned remarks.

"You won't hear from the vice president tonight, but you will hear from her tomorrow," Harris campaign co-chair Cedric Richmond told attendees at Howard University in Washington, D.C.

In contrast, Trump’s supporters celebrated exuberantly at the Republican candidate's Mar-a-Lago resort and nearby events in Florida. Among those celebrating was Elon Musk, who posed with Trump at the event, hinting at his support by posting on X, "Game, set, and match."

Game, set and match
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 6, 2024

Millions of Americans cast their ballots in an election with profound implications for the future of the US and its global role. Voters faced a pivotal choice between granting Trump a historic comeback or electing Harris as the first female president.

At the time of inauguration, if victorious, Trump would become the oldest person ever elected as president, the first with a criminal conviction, and only the second to serve non-consecutive terms.