Republican Donald Trump declared victory in the 2024 U.S. presidential race after Fox News projected his win over Democratic candidate Kamala Harris, marking a historic return to the White House four years later.
Speaking to enthusiastic Palm Beach County Convention Center supporters, Trump claimed he received an “unprecedented mandate.”
Though other news networks hadn't yet called the race, Trump led in critical battlegrounds, including Pennsylvania, North Carolina, and Georgia. Kamala Harris, who gathered supporters at Howard University, did not publicly appear, but her campaign co-chair, Cedric Richmond, assured them there were still votes to count.
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Trump outperformed his 2020 results, increasing his support among Hispanic voters and economically impacted groups. Exit polls showed he won 45% of Hispanic votes, up 13 points from 2020, and drew substantial support from voters prioritizing the economy, which emerged as the top issue.
Nearly half of voters believed their financial situation had worsened in recent years, and Trump captured 80% of those votes. Global markets responded, with U.S. stock futures and the dollar rising, alongside Treasury yields and Bitcoin.
Republicans secured a U.S. Senate majority by flipping West Virginia and Ohio seats, while the fight for the House remained undecided. Trump had gone into Election Day with a strong chance of victory, a dramatic shift since January 6, 2021, when his political future seemed uncertain after supporters stormed Congress. However, his 2024 performance reflected broader appeal across urban, suburban, and rural areas.
Polling revealed that over 70% of Americans felt democracy was at risk. Trump raised concerns about election integrity, claiming without evidence that there was potential fraud in Philadelphia and Detroit. Philadelphia and Detroit officials promptly dismissed these allegations.
This fiercely competitive campaign saw unprecedented events, including two assassination attempts on Trump and Biden’s unexpected withdrawal, which paved the way for Harris’ presidential bid.
A victory for Harris, 60, would have made her the first female, Black, and South Asian American president. In contrast, Trump’s win makes him the first former president in over a century to reclaim the White House in non-consecutive terms.
