Donald John Trump has been projected as the winner of
the presidential election, according to the Associated Press, after
election returns showed that Trump had won stunning
come-from-behind victories across a swath of contested
states.
Trump, 70, will be the 45th president of the United States. A
real-estate developer and former reality-TV star, Trump is the
first person to win the presidency without having previously held
public office or served in the U.S. military.
Mike Pence, 57, will be vice president. Pence was a longtime
member of the House of Representatives and is now the Republican
governor of Indiana.
Trump’s victory could produce significant repercussions, both
economic and political. Stock markets had risen in recent days,
believing that Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton would win. On
Tuesday evening, as Trump reeled off a string of unexpected
victories across the Midwest, futures market nosedived -- likely
anticipating global upheaval as Trump tries to follow through on
aggressive campaign promises: to build a wall along the U.S.-Mexico
border, to impose tougher trading conditions on China, and to force
U.S. manufacturers not to move operations overseas.
Shortly before 3 a.m., Trump made a triumphant entrance at his
celebratory party in a Manhattan hotel, followed by his family.
"I’ve just received a call from Secretary Clinton," he said.
"She congratulated us – it’s about us -- on our victory, and I
congratulated her and her family on a very, very hard fought
campaign. She fought very hard."
"We owe her a major debt of gratitude for her service to our
country," he added, to scattered applause.
"Now it’s time for America to bind the wound of division," Trump
said, adding: "It is time for us to come together as one united
people."
At Trump’s party, supporters hugged each other, waved Trump
signs over their heads and erupted in cheers after the race was
officially called.
"Donald! Donald!" they chanted.
In political terms, Trump’s win will likely hands Republicans
control of both the executive and legislative branches of
government.
That could lead to long-sought GOP dreams coming true, like the
repeal of "Obamacare" and the end of regulations limiting
greenhouse-gas emissions. But it could also lead to Republican
infighting, since Trump’s policy ideas – including more
friendliness toward Russia, and protectionist trade positions – are
starkly at odds with what other many Republicans believe.
His victory on Tuesday was the biggest surprise of the modern
presidential era – a shocking upset, at a time when mass
communication and zealous polling sought to make such surprises
less likely.
Trump had entered Election Day trailing Clinton in a slew of
national and swing-state polls, and with a get-out-the-vote
operation far smaller than hers. He had fared poorly in all three
debates.
But Trump was helped by an odd confluence of outside forces.
The website WikiLeaks had been releasing thousands of emails
stolen from Clinton’s campaign chairman, John Podesta – a massive
hack that the U.S. government blamed on Russia.
Then, in the campaign’s late stages, Trump got help from the
combination of Anthony Weiner – the former congressman, married to
Clinton aide Huma Abedin – and FBI Director James B. Comey.
After FBI agents seized a laptop used by Weiner in an
investigation into lewd text messages that Weiner allegedly sent to
a 15 year-old girl. In late October, Comey announced that the FBI
was examining other emails found on the laptop, which might have
been pertinent to a previous investigation into Clinton’s use of a
private email server for government business.
Nine days later, Comey announced that the review had found
nothing that changed the bureau’s past investigation. But the
damage had been done, as voters were reminded of Clinton’s email
scandal.
On Tuesday, Trump won, based on very strong turnout in rural
areas, and among white voters.
That victory was the last, and most incredible, in a series of
unexpected victories for Trump since he rode down a Trump Tower
escalator last June to launch his presidential bid. He defeated 16
other Republicans in the primary process, and then beat the
better-funded and better-organized Clinton by relying on huge
rallies, free TV exposure, and the electorate’s hunger for
change.
Clinton, the former first lady and secretary of state, had been
the de facto Democratic nominee for the entire campaign. She was
hampered, in its final hours, by lower-than-expected enthusiasm
among young voters, and lower turnout in urban areas.
Clinton’s campaign team had felt buoyant coming into Tuesday,
after a massive rally Monday night in Philadelphia that featured
President Obama, first lady Michelle Obama, and Bruce
Springsteen.
But Clinton’s bid to be the first female president ended in
disappointment.
Shortly after 2 am, Clinton campaign chairman John Podesta
addressed her remaining supporters at Javits Center in New York,
announcing that the candidate would not be speaking because some
states remained too close to call. He urged those gathered to go
home and get some sleep.