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Updated November 6, 2024, at 6:50 p.m.
WASHINGTON — Former President Donald Trump defeated Vice President Kamala Harris to become the 47th president of the United States, sweeping away two impeachments, four indictments, and two assassination attempts on his way to winning back the White House.
The Associated Press called the election for Trump shortly after 5:30 a.m. on Wednesday, after he clinched 10 electoral college votes from Wisconsin to pass the 270-vote threshold. Trump previously won the critical battleground states of North Carolina, Georgia, and Pennsylvania to virtually eliminate a path to victory for Harris.
Harris called Trump Wednesday afternoon to formally concede the election. She also addressed her loss hours later in a speech to a crowd of supporters at Howard University, where Harris was initially expected to speak at an election night watch party on Tuesday.
Harris emphasized that it was essential to “engage in a peaceful exchange of power” even though the results of the election were not what her supporters had hoped for.
“When we lose an election, we accept the results. That principle distinguishes a democracy from a monarchy or tyranny,” Harris said.
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Still, Harris urged supporters to continue to fight for what they believe.
“While I concede the election, I do not concede the fight that fueled this campaign,” Harris said. “Don’t ever stop trying to make the world a better place.”
Trump’s reelection comes after he has been convicted of 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in New York State Court. Once he assumes office in January, Trump will gain presidential immunity from the federal charges.
During the race, both candidates portrayed the election as a battle for the future of the country.
Democrats warned that Trump, who didn’t accept the results of his loss to President Joe Biden in 2020, would be dangerous for democracy. In the weeks leading up to election, John F. Kelly — who was Trump’s longest-serving chief of staff during his first term in office — said that he believed the former president met the definition of a fascist.
Meanwhile, Trump rode a wave of anger directed at the Biden-Harris administration over rising inflation and illegal immigration to victory. Trump also repeatedly claimed through the campaign that his four indictments demonstrated that he was the victim of a politically motivated prosecution — capitalizing on his supporters’ diminishing trust in public institutions.
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Trump’s reelection secured a huge victory for Republicans on Tuesday, which saw the GOP regain control of the Senate for the first time in four years. Republicans are also hoping to hold onto their control of the House, where Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) currently has a three-person majority.
Trump and his running mate, Sen. JD Vance (R-Ohio), will take office on Jan. 20, 2025, when Trump will become the first U.S. president to serve two non-consecutive terms since former President Grover Cleveland won reelection in 1892.
As his victory became increasingly apparent, Trump delivered a victory speech early Wednesday morning to an awaiting crowd in West Palm Beach, Fla.
In his speech, Trump promised the country his time in office will result in the “greatest economic comeback.”
“I will not rest until we have delivered the strong, safe and prosperous learning that our children deserve and that you deserve. This will truly be the golden age of America,” he said.
As Trump’s lead in electoral votes grew, shockwaves were sent through Harris watch party attendees earlier in the night.
Democrats were briefly optimistic that Harris could defeat Trump after Biden dropped out of the race in late July and endorsed Harris to become the Democratic Party’s nominee.
Harris, however, failed to replicate Biden’s success in 2020, as Trump flipped Pennsylvania and Georgia — two key battleground states that Biden carried in the last election. At her election night watch party at Howard, attendees grew increasingly despondent before Harris canceled her appearance as Trump pulled ahead in the race.
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In an attempt to inject enthusiasm into the crowd, campaign staffers started handing out American flags by the bundle to attendees.
But the flag waving quickly ended when a visibly disappointed audience watched CNN call Ohio for Trump. As CNN anchor John King broke down a bleak picture for Harris in Kent County, Michigan, one attendee said, “This is ridiculous.”
Despite the growing frustration with election results, the energy at the Harris watch party was briefly revived after Angela Alsobrooks, the Democratic candidate for Senate in Maryland, gave a speech after her victory was confirmed.
But the election results from North Carolina quickly deflated any lingering energy from Alsobrooks’ speech. As Trump’s win in the swing state was announced, more than 100 attendees of the Harris watch party began to trickle out, expressing disappointment and frustration with the incoming results.
Noticing the dampening mood, the Harris campaign shifted away from broadcasting CNN’s live stream and began blasting loud music in an attempt to cheer up the audience.
At Harvard University, students and faculty members were closely watching results trickle in at several election night watch parties on campus. Hundreds of students packed Sanders Theatre for an event co-hosted by the Dean of Students Office, the Institute of Politics, and Harvard College Intellectual Vitality.
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Many students expressed excitement as they watched the results come in with their friends in the crowded theater.
“I’m just so grateful that in my first year here, I get the chance to experience such an amazing event,” said Prisha Sheth ’28.
“We’re all together as we watch this historic moment,” Sheth said.
Outside of Harvard, Cambridge voters were concerned about the possibility — now reality — of a second Trump term.
“When you’re a CEO, you’re in charge, and you often don’t even have to report to a board of directors,”said Cambridge resident Fen Portman. “But in a democracy, you’re part of a larger system, and there’s lots of checks and balances.”
Jeffrey Richards said in an interview from a polling site at Cambridge Rindge and Latin School that he thought Trump winning back the White House would be bad for the country.
“If Trump wins, chaos,” Richards said.
Brett D. “David” Brannon ‘21, who attended the watch party, disagreed with the pessimistic views on Trump’s reelection.
“Over half of Americans agree with President Trump on issues like immigration, the economy,” Brannon said.
“If they can’t connect with those people, that’s a problem with their education — not with those people,” he added.
—Diego Garcia-Moreno, Ryan A. Lopez, and Mana Tsuruta contributed reporting from Cambridge.
—Staff writer Samuel A. Church reported from Cambridge. He can be reached at samuel.church@thecrimson.com. Follow him on X @samuelachurch.
—Staff writer Grace E. Yoon reported from Cambridge. She can be reached at grace.yoon@thecrimson.com. Follow her on X @graceunkyoon.
—Staff writer Frank S. Zhou reported from Washington. He can be reached at frank.zhou@thecrimson.com. Follow him on X @frank_s_zhou or on Threads @frank_s_zhou.
