Donald Trump has claimed victory in the 2024 US presidential election, speaking before an enthusiastic crowd of supporters in Florida. Despite some key battleground states still counting ballots, the 78-year-old former president confidently addressed the rally in West Palm Beach, hailing what he called a “magnificent victory for the American people.”
Projections show that Trump is likely to clinch the Presidency, with Kamala Harris having failed to win key votes.
“Look what happened – is this crazy?” Trump exclaimed, expressing his gratitude to supporters and proclaiming, “I will fight for you and your family and your future, every single day.” With a promise to “heal” the nation, he vowed to tackle immigration issues and restore the country’s borders, signaling a hardline stance that resonated with his base.
In a bold assertion, Trump claimed he had not only secured the electoral victory but had also won the popular vote – an achievement that eluded him in his previous campaigns in 2016 and 2020. “This will truly be the golden age of America,” he declared, with family members, including his wife, Melania, and his children, standing alongside him.
“America has given us an unprecedented and powerful mandate,” he said to roaring applause, as he projected a vision of a stronger nation and his intent to return to the White House.
Key Wins in Battleground States, Tight Race Continues in Others
Trump’s path to declaring victory was bolstered by his projected wins in the pivotal states of Pennsylvania, North Carolina, and Georgia, leaving Vice President Kamala Harris with a significantly narrowed route to victory. According to CBS projections, Trump currently leads in key remaining battlegrounds, including Wisconsin and Michigan, as well as Nevada. The race remains tightly contested in Arizona, where vote-counting is ongoing.
The Trump campaign celebrated these projected gains as well as the Republican Party’s apparent win in reclaiming control of the Senate, signaling a broader mandate in Congress. Addressing the crowd, Trump referred to this election as a “political victory” and expressed hopes that it would be remembered as “one of the most important days” in American history.
Harris, who would make history as the first female president, and the first Black and South Asian American to lead the nation, remains in the fight with little hope as final results continue to be processed. Originally expected to spend election night at Howard University in Washington D.C., she refrained from appearing in public after midnight as her team awaited returns from critical states, which showed Trump having the edge.
Harris took the Democratic nomination under unusual circumstances, stepping into the race in July after President Joe Biden withdrew amid party pressure. Despite recent challenges, including heightened security risks and two assassination attempts that targeted Trump during his campaign, both candidates rallied tens of millions of early voters in one of the most polarized elections in recent memory.
The final outcome of the election will depend on the completion of vote counting in several key states, with official results yet to be confirmed. For now, however, Trump has positioned himself as the winner, staking a claim that, if upheld, would make him the first US president in over a century to serve non-consecutive terms.
