Donald Trump wins the US presidential election

Donald Trump surged to victory in the United States presidential election, mounting a spectacular comeback that will have profound consequences for the world.

The populist Republican clinched critical battleground states, including Pennsylvania, North Carolina and Georgia. Republicans also regained control of the Senate, giving the party significant power over lawmaking and presidential appointments.

While the final votes are still being counted, the picture is already clear following Tuesday’s election: Vice President Kamala Harris and her Democratic Party have been resoundingly defeated across the United States. The margins of victory were larger than many polls predicted.

Trump spent election night at his Mar-a-Lago club in Florida, watching the results come in as guests sipped champagne. Among those seen at the club were Elon Musk, the tech billionaire and vocal Trump backer, and Nigel Farage, the British member of parliament and Reform UK party leader.

“This is a magnificent victory for the American people, that will allow us to make America great again,” Trump said to an ecstatic response from his supporters. He promised his second term would be a “golden age” for America.

For the rest of the world, the implications of Trump’s comeback will be vast. After four years falsely claiming he was robbed of victory in 2020, he has vowed “retribution” against his opponents. His second term may be even more disruptive to the global order than his first.