Harris, who entered the presidential race just over 100 days ago after President Joe Biden withdrew following the Democratic primaries, ultimately could not overcome Trump’s surge. Trump clinched the necessary 270 electoral votes after unexpected wins in key battleground states, including North Carolina, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, and Georgia.
Fox News called the race for Trump following his projected victory in Wisconsin, a state he narrowly lost in the 2020 election. Speaking at a celebratory event in West Palm Beach, Florida, Trump thanked supporters for their commitment to his campaign. “This is great. We have thousands of friends in this incredible movement,” he said, calling it “the greatest political movement of all time.”
Expressing gratitude, Trump described this new term as the beginning of a “golden age of America” and thanked Americans for the “extraordinary honor” of reelecting him. “To every citizen, I will fight for you, for your family, and your future,” Trump promised. “With every breath in my body, I will not rest until we have delivered the strong, safe, and prosperous America that our children and you deserve.”
Trump’s return to the presidency makes him the second U.S. president to serve two nonconsecutive terms, following Grover Cleveland’s split terms in 1884 and 1892. Trump first won the presidency in 2016, defeating former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton with his promise to “Make America Great Again.” After losing the 2020 race to Biden, Trump’s 2024 comeback on the slogan “Make America Great Once Again” has solidified his legacy as a unique figure in American political history.