WASHINGTON – Former President Donald Trump has won the U.S. presidential election, beating Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris, after showing greater-than-expected strength across key battleground states.

Trump’s victory, projected by major U.S. media, sets up the Republican for a return to the White House in January following a four-year hiatus, foiling Harris’ bid to become the first female, the first Black woman and first Asian American U.S. president.

For U.S. allies and partners from Europe to Asia, the 78-year-old’s comeback could be a headache as he has doubted the power of multilateralism and collective action to tackle global challenges such as climate change.

Tuesday’s election was seen as the country’s tightest in decades, but Trump eventually performed much stronger than poll numbers, which indicated the two rivals were neck and neck nationally and in all seven swing states right up to the finish line.

Trump declared victory in the election early Wednesday, saying, “We’re going to fix everything about our country.”

“This will truly be the golden age of America. That’s what we have done,” he told supporters in Florida. “This is a magnificent victory for the American people that will allow us to make America great again.”

To win the U.S. presidency, a candidate must secure at least 270 of the 538 total electoral votes allotted to the 50 states and the District of Columbia, largely based on population size.

In addition to easily racking up more than 20 Republican strongholds such as Florida, South Carolina and Texas in the hours after the polls closed, Trump clinched Pennsylvania, North Carolina and other toss-up states to cross the threshold.

Trump will be sworn in as the 47th U.S. president on Jan. 20, succeeding Joe Biden, who defeated him in the 2020 election. Although Biden is currently the oldest president in U.S. history, Trump will be the oldest at the time of inauguration upon taking the oath for his second term.

The 81-year-old Democratic president ended his reelection bid in July amid concerns about his age, exacerbated by his poor debate performance against Trump.

Democratic presidential nominee U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris speaks at a campaign rally in Michigan on Nov. 3, 2024. (Kyodo)

Since entering the race for the White House this summer, Harris repeatedly used the phrase “we are not going back,” attempting to cast herself as fighting for the future, as opposed to Trump with his long-held political slogan: ”Make America Great Again.”

The 60-year-old vice president had upheld Biden’s line of attack that Trump, the first former president to face criminal charges, would be a threat to democracy.

She had also pledged to be a leader for all Americans in order to pave a “new way forward,” drawing a contrast between her vision and Trump’s, which she said was focused on the past.

Although Harris reenergized the Democratic Party, as well as female and younger voters throughout the electorate, in a little over three months, she could not triumph over Trump, who, according to opinion surveys, was trusted more in dealing with inflation and immigration.

During the race, in which the economy was a top concern among voters, the two candidates offered conflicting visions for both the United States and the rest of the world.

In an increasingly polarized United States, they differed on almost every issue, including abortion, immigration, transgender rights, taxes and energy.

But what particularly stood out was Trump’s disregard for the rule of law, exemplified by his repudiation of the 2020 presidential election results and threat to derail the peaceful transition of power.

Many countries have been alarmed that a new Trump administration could adopt a more extreme isolationist position than in his first term based on his “America First” doctrine, without paying heed to current international systems.

As opposed to Trump, Harris, a former prosecutor, spoke about the importance of promoting liberal democracy, upholding the existing global order and respecting international laws.

Besides celebrating the presidential victory, Republicans reclaimed control of the U.S. Senate for the first time in four years. It remains to be seen whether they can secure a majority in the House of Representatives, which they now control by a narrow margin.

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