Trump triumphs, says NO to wars
In his victory speech, he indicated one of the major policy decisions he will make will likely be about working to end wars around the world
Donald Trump has won a historic second term to become the 47th president of the United States, a remarkable comeback four years after he was voted out of the White House, ushering in a new American leadership likely to test democratic institutions at home and relations abroad.
In his victory speech, he indicated one of the major policy decisions he will make will likely be about working to end wars around the world. Though he did not say where, Ukraine and Israel have been cited by geopolitical experts as the possible focus of Trump 2.0.
"I'm not going to start wars, I'm going to stop wars," said Trump, crossing the 270 electoral votes needed to secure the presidency and defeating US Vice President Kamala Harris, following a campaign of dark rhetoric that deepened the polarisation in the country.
"We had no wars, for four years we had no wars. Except we defeated ISIS," said the president-elect at a precarious moment in the conflict for Kyiv as Russia has steadily been making gains in the eastern Donbas region, which Vladimir Putin aims to capture in full.
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Throughout his campaign, Trump and his running mate JD Vance have cast strong doubts on continued US commitment to Kyiv as the war drags on more than two and half years after Russian forces invaded. Moreover, Trump has made comments that suggest the US could pressure Ukraine into an uneasy truce with Russia.
The Republican candidate has repeatedly praised Russian President Putin – and repeatedly criticised Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Trump's efforts to leverage US military aid to Ukraine to force Zelensky to investigate the former president's political rivals were the key focus of Trump's first impeachment in 2019.
Zelensky congratulated Trump on Wednesday and said he appreciates Trump's commitment to "peace through strength."
"We look forward to an era of a strong United States of America under President Trump's decisive leadership. We rely on continued strong bipartisan support for Ukraine in the United States," Zelensky wrote in a social media post.
During the campaign, Trump repeatedly said he could end the war between Russia and Ukraine "in a day". When asked how, he suggested overseeing a deal, but has declined to give specifics.
Trump has also promised to bring "peace" to the Middle East - implying he would end the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza and the Israel-Hezbollah war in Lebanon - but has not said how.
He has repeatedly said that, if he had been in power rather than Joe Biden, Hamas would not have attacked Israel because of his "maximum pressure" policy on Iran, which funds the group.
Broadly, it's likely Trump would attempt to return to the policy, which saw his administration pull the US out of the Iran nuclear deal, apply greater sanctions against Iran and kill Gen Qasem Soleimani - Iran's most powerful military commander.
From political debacle to 'powerful mandate'
Trump's election victory defied two assassination attempts, two presidential impeachments, his criminal conviction and many other criminal charges.
In May, he was convicted by a New York jury of falsifying business records to cover up hush money payments to a porn star.
His political career had appeared to be over after his false claims of election fraud led a mob of supporters to storm the US Capitol on 6 January 2021, in a failed bid to overturn his 2020 defeat.
"America has given us an unprecedented and powerful mandate," Trump said early on Wednesday to a roaring crowd of supporters at the Palm Beach County Convention Centre in Florida.
He vowed to "heal" the nation, to fix its borders and to deliver a strong and prosperous economy after millions of his voters turned to him amid frustration over high prices for food and housing and embraced his plans for a crackdown on undocumented immigrants.
"I want to thank the American people for the extraordinary honour of being elected your 47th president and your 45th president," said Trump. "This will truly be the golden age of America."
After years highlighting Biden's age, Trump, at 78, is now the oldest man to be elected president, and his every act and utterance as commander in chief is likely to be scrutinized for signs of age-related slowing down or cognitive issues.
Jobs and economy
Voters identified jobs and the economy as the country's most pressing problem, according to Reuters/Ipsos opinion polls. Many Americans remained frustrated by higher prices even amid record-high stock markets, fast-growing wages and low unemployment.
With the administration of President Joe Biden taking much of the blame, a majority of voters said they trusted Trump more than Harris to address the issue.
Hispanics, traditionally Democratic voters, and lower-income households hit hardest by inflation helped fuel Trump's election victory. His loyal base of rural, white and non-college educated voters again showed up in force.
His victory will have major implications for US trade and climate change policies, and Americans' taxes and immigration.
His tariff proposals could spark a fiercer trade war with China and US allies, while his pledges to reduce corporate taxes and implement a spate of new cuts could balloon US debt, economists say.
Trump has promised to launch a mass deportation campaign targeting immigrants in the country illegally.
He has said he wants the authority to fire civil servants he views as disloyal. His opponents fear he will turn the Justice Department and other federal law enforcement agencies into political weapons to investigate perceived enemies.
A second Trump presidency could drive a bigger wedge between Democrats and Republicans on issues such as race, gender, what and how children are taught, and reproductive rights.
Harris falls short
Harris fell short in her 15-week sprint as a candidate, failing to galvanise enough support to defeat Trump, or to allay voters' concerns about the economy and immigration.
Harris had warned that Trump wanted unchecked presidential power and posed a danger to democracy.
Nearly three-quarters of voters say American democracy is under threat, according to Edison Research exit polls, underscoring the polarisation in a nation where divisions have only grown starker during a fiercely competitive race.
Trump ran a campaign characterised by apocalyptic language. He called the United States a "garbage can" for immigrants, pledged to save the economy from "obliteration" and cast some rivals as the "enemy within."
His diatribes were often aimed at migrants, who he said were "poisoning the blood of the country," or Harris, whom he frequently derided as unintelligent.
Trump 2.0
Despite legal woes and controversies, Trump is only the second former president to win a second term after leaving the White House. The first was Grover Cleveland, who served two four-year terms starting in 1885 and 1893.
He has vowed to reshape the executive branch, including firing civil servants he views as disloyal and using federal law enforcement agencies to investigate his political enemies, violating a longstanding policy of keeping such agencies independent.
He has signalled he will prioritise personal fealty in staffing his administration. He promised roles in his administration to Musk and former presidential candidate Robert F Kennedy Jr, both avid supporters.
Trump and his incoming vice president, Senator JD Vance, are due to take office on Inauguration Day, 20 January 2025.
