By winning three crucial swing states, North Carolina, Georgia and Pennsylvania, the Republican candidate is assured of becoming President of the United States again, pushing aside Democrat Kamala Harris. He is already receiving congratulations from various heads of state around the world.
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In summary:
- The American presidential election has delivered its winner. The 244 million voters decided between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris, re-electing the Republican to the White House.
- From the start of the night, the Democratic candidate showed a significant delay, even winning with difficulty certain states which were normally hers. At 8 a.m. this Wednesday morning, she could only count on 214 electors, compared to 267 for her Republican rival.
- As expected, the seven swing states were decisive. The first to swing, North Carolina, fell into Donald Trump's hands at the stroke of 5:30 a.m. on Wednesday morning. Georgia followed at 7:00. Pennsylvania sounded the death knell for Democratic hopes at 8 a.m.
- The final count could take days, particularly in the event of disputes and legal appeals. Knowing that at the same time, Americans also vote for numerous local elections with equally essential implications.
- By unseating Democratic incumbent senators in Ohio and West Virginia, and maintaining enough of its incumbent candidates, Republicans are also assured of control of the Senate. The House of Representatives remains contested.
9h46
Starmer, Modi and Zelensky in turn congratulate Trump. Ukrainian President Volodimir Zelensky welcomed this Wednesday the“impressive victory” of Donald Trump, saying he hopes his election will help Ukraine obtain a “just peace”. The Republican candidate had on several occasions, during his presidential campaign, questioned American support for Kyiv in the war between it and Moscow. In London, the British Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, also congratulated the future occupant of the White House for his “historic electoral victory”words echoed by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who also called Trump a«ami». The head of the Italian government, Giorgia Meloni, praised the “unshakeable” friendship between Rome and Washington.
9h24
A rather measured speech from Donald Trump. Temporary truce of invective? During his speech in Florida, Donald Trump appeared almost measured in his remarks, like his 2016 victory speech. Unlike in recent weeks where he multiplied invectives and lies, each more crude than the last, he didn't have a word for Kamala Harris and Democratic voters. He simply presented himself as the president of the Americans, of “freedom and democracy”. And assured that he was elected thanks to the vote of people who come from “all walks of life” : THE “African-Americans, Hispanic-Americans, Asian-Americans, Arab-Americans… we had everyone and it was beautiful.”
9h21
JD Vance, Trump's “VP”: journey of a repentant. Anti-abortion, ex-military, self-proclaimed defender of blue-collar workers: designated running mate by Donald Trump, of whom he was a fierce critic, the young senator from Ohio established himself as one of the main ideologues of Trumpism. Find his profile, published in July in Liberation.
9h10
For Donald Trump, everything is the will of God. After a little half hour of messy speech where he gave the floor as long to Dana White, the boss of the UFC (the Ultimate Fighting Championship, an MMA organization), as to his future vice-president JD Vance , Donald Trump returned to the assassination attempt of which he was the victim in July. For him, if he survived, it was because God wanted him to be sent back to the White House. “Many people have told me that God spared my life for a reason. And that reason is to save our country and restore America's greatness, he declared from the lectern in front of his supporters gathered in Florida. Now, we will complete this mission together.” The man who will become the 47th president of the United States made reference to God again before leaving the stage, in a more traditional way this time «God bless you and god bless America» (God bless you and God bless America).
9:04 a.m.
Macron and Netanyahu congratulate Trump. President Emmanuel Macron congratulated Donald Trump shortly before 9 a.m. “Congratulations President Donald Trump. Ready to work together as we have been able to do for four years. With your beliefs and with mine. With respect and ambition. For more peace and prosperity.” Two minutes later, the Israeli Prime Minister in turn published a message addressed to Trump, co-signed with his wife: “Your historic return to the White House offers a new beginning for America and a powerful recommitment to the great alliance between Israel and America. This is a huge victory! In true friendship, yours, Benjamin and Sara Netanyahu.”
8h57
Raphaël Glucksmann: “A global catastrophe”. The former head of the Socialist Party list in the European elections, Raphaël Glucksmann, was alarmed in a statement published Wednesday morning on X about the return of Donald Trump to the White House: “This is one of the tipping points that change the course of history. We will now find ourselves alone in Europe. Alone in the face of war. […] And this solitude has been unprecedented since 1945.” In contrast, Eric Ciotti, ally of Marine Le Pen and the RN, congratulated Donald Trump on X, even before he claimed victory: “Magnificent victory of the American people against a system. A hope for peace, a defeat of the wokists. A path for the right in France as in Europe. Until victory.”
8:50 a.m.
Vance: “the biggest comeback”. Donald Trump's running mate spoke in West Palm Beach following the speech by the Republican candidate who claimed victory. “Mr. President, thank you for allowing me to follow you on this incredible journey. I think we have just witnessed the biggest comeback in American political history. We are now going to make the biggest economic comeback in the history of the United States with the leadership of Donald Trump.”
8h31
Trump claims victory. In his first speech in Florida, in front of his supporters, Donald Trump, all smiles on stage, accompanied by his loved ones, claimed victory to the sound of God Bless America de Lee Greenwood . “I want to thank the incredible Americans for giving me the honor of electing me their 47th president. I will fight for you for your family every day, I will fight for you until the last breath of my body.” Projecting himself into a future presidency, he continued: “This will clearly be America’s golden age.”
8:16 a.m
Pennsylvania for Trump. Donald Trump won the crucial victory in the key state of Pennsylvania, a big prize in terms of voters and one of the most contested in the presidential race, according to projections by American media CNN and NBC. The Republican won there by a narrow margin in 2016, and Joe Biden took him back to the wire in 2020. His rival this year, Democrat Kamala Harris, had ended her campaign in this state, without which his chances of winning election are greatly diminishing. In the process, the leader of the Republicans in the House, Mike Johnson, congratulated the “president-elect” Donald Trump.
8h12
The French government calls on Europe to take its destiny into its own hands. Even if the American elections have not yet produced an official winner, the spokesperson for the French government seems to have already recorded the defeat of Kamala Harris. “This should ask us not about what the United States is going to do, but about what Europe is capable of doing. In a certain number of absolutely key sectors, defense, reindustrialization, decarbonization, we must take our destiny in hand”judged Maud Bregeon on Wednesday morning, while Donald Trump notably planned to end American support for Kyiv in the war between it and Russia.
France
