Donald Trump has won the 2024 US Election, and now all eyes turn to what he'll do next.
In an emotional speech last night, defeated Democrat Vice President Kamala Harris told supporters gathered at Howard University that she had lost the race, conceding to the Republican president – who is now empowered by a sweeping mandate.
"The outcome of this election is not what we wanted, not what we fought for, not what we voted for," Harris said. "But hear me when I say, the light of America's promise will always burn bright, as long as we never give up and as long as we keep fighting."
Former president Trump was re-elected to the White House after a campaign marked by divisive and violent rhetoric. He promised to deliver a "strong, safe and prosperous" America as he told his supporters: "We made history tonight... This is a magnificent victory for the American people, that will allow us to make America great again." He also pledged to address immigration and border issues and vowed to "help our country heal."
This live blog has now ended.
Free pizza and DJ help defrost voters lined up until 4am in the snow to vote
Free pizza and a DJ help defrost voters in Montana lined up until 4am in the snow to vote.
They huddled under blankets and nibbled on chips, nuts and pizza handed out by volunteers. They swayed to an impromptu street DJ and waved glow sticks.
Hardy residents of Bozeman, Montana, queued along Main Street by the hundreds on election night, with Democrats, Republicans and independents sharing a not-so-brief moment of camaraderie and warmth to close out an otherwise tense election season.
The last ballot was cast at 4 a.m. by an undoubtedly committed voter.
Donald Trump's key policies explained from mass deportations to abortion to climate change
With Donald Trump returning to the White House, Americans and the world face a wave of bold, controversial policies.
The president-elect has vowed to make sweeping changes in areas such as immigration, trade, reproductive rights, environmental policy, and diversity programs. One of his boldest promises is to carry out what he's calling the "largest deportation operation" in US history, targeting undocumented immigrants.
Trump has also raised eyebrows with talk of using military power against an "enemy from within" and has openly threatened to prosecute political opponents all while being a "dictator for a day". Experts warn that if he is serious, his administration could veer into authoritarian territory, stacking government offices with loyalists and driving an administration focused on "revenge" rather than unity.
Read more here
Key dates to look out for
Following Donald Trump's victory, the former president will head back to the White House. However, he won't take office until January, 2025.
Here are a few things that need to happen before then.
- December 11: Deadline for states to issue Certificates of Ascertainment
- December 17: Electors vote in their states
- January 3: New Congress begins
- January 6: Congress counts electoral votes
- January 20: Inauguration Day
Comments made by Labour Cabinet ministers about Trump will not 'interfere' in the 'important alliance' between UK and US
Cabinet Office minister Pat McFadden has said comments made by Labour Cabinet ministers about Donald Trump will not "interfere" in the "important alliance" between the UK and US.
He told Sky News: "I think a lot of things that have been said over the years, but not just here in the UK, including in the US. If you look at what Vice President Elect JD Vance said about President Trump, he mused whether this was going to be another Richard Nixon or America's Hitler, and it's not held him back from being the running mate.
"Elon Musk as well, advised Trump to walk off into the sunset a couple of years ago, and he's become President Trump's biggest, biggest backer in business. So I think a number of things have been said over the years, but the truth is, the alliance between Britain and the United States is long and deep and enduring."
He added: "I don't think any of these things will interfere in what is such an important alliance for the world, based on defence, security, shared values, shared history. It's all more important than all of those things, and that is the footing we begin on, and that's the footing that we'll continue on".
"And the Prime Minister not only spoke to president elect Trump last night, they had dinner together in the states a few weeks ago, a good, productive dinner. President-elect Trump is a fan of the United Kingdom. His mother came from Scotland.
"And I think in the end, those shared values and interests are more important than some tweet from many years ago."
'Strong' Kamala Harris delivered 'one last' blow to Trump in gutsy concession speech
Kamala Harris looked "strong and powerful" during her concession speech as she delivered "one last" crushing statement against the incoming President Donald Trump, according to a body language expert.
After it became clear that the Republican nominee would be returning to the Oval Office after his sweeping victory yesterday, Kamala addressed supporters at Howard University in Washington DC. As she came out to applause, she spoke as though still campaigning, but it wasn't long before she started showing signs of just how "gutted" she was over losing to Trump.
Read more here
Trump to start selecting his cabinet 'within days'
Donald Trump will start to select his cabinet in the "days and weeks ahead", his team has said.
Co-chairs Linda McMahon and Howard Lutnick, who are leading his transition to the White House, confirmed they will present Trump with a "wide array of experts from which he can select for his team".
In addition, they said his team will enact policies that "make the life of Americans affordable, safe, and secure".
Democratic Party 'abandoned the working class' - Bernie Sanders
The Democratic Party "abandoned the working class" which led to their defeat, according to veteran senator Bernie Sanders.
Sanders, who tried to be the Democrats' presidential nominee in 2016 and 2020, was re-elected to a fourth term in the Senate on Tuesday.
"It should come as no great surprise that a Democratic Party which has abandoned working class people would find that the working class has abandoned them, he said yesterday, adding that 60% of Americans are living "paycheck to paycheck" while America has "more income and wealth inequality than ever before".
Melania Trump promises to 'safeguard' freedom
Melania Trump has promised to "safeguard" America's freedom after Donald Trump's stunning return to the White House.
She wrote on X: "The majority of Americans have entrusted us with this important responsibility. We will safeguard the heart of our republic – freedom. I anticipate the citizens of our nation rejoining in commitment to each other and rising above ideology for the sake of individual liberty, economic prosperity, and security. American energy, skill, and initiative will bring together our best minds to propel our nation forward forevermore."
The majority of Americans have entrusted us with this important responsibility.
— MELANIA TRUMP (@MELANIATRUMP) November 6, 2024
We will safeguard the heart of our republic – freedom. I anticipate the citizens of our nation rejoining in commitment to each other and rising above ideology for the sake of individual liberty,…
Kamala Harris' 'chuckling mood slowly evaporated' as she wore 'mask of misery'
A body language expert has revealed Kamala Harris' jovial mood "slowly evaporated" to the point where she wore a "mask of misery" as she delivered her concession speech after losing the US election to Donald Trump.
Speaking to supporters at Howard University in Washington DC yesterday, Harris admitted there was no pathway for her to became US President and that Republican Trump had bested her in the race to the White House. Coming out to applause, Harris appeared as though she was still on the campaign trail with a cheery upbeat attitude - although the dire situation for the Democrats soon set in.
Harris told supporters: "The fight for freedom, for opportunity, for fairness and the dignity of all people, a fight for the ideals at the heart of our nation, the ideals that reflect America at our best. That is a fight I will never give up.”
Kamala Harris' 'chuckling mood slowly evaporated' as she wore 'mask of misery'
Donald Trump "will not trust Keir Starmer" - expert claims
Donald Trump will regard Sir Keir Starmer as a "lightweight woke lefty" and will not trust him, a top US analyst has warned today.
The President-elect is likely to view the Prime Minister as a "novice" when it comes to negotiating, according to Nile Gardiner, director of The Heritage Foundation's Margaret Thatcher Center for Freedom.
Dozens of Labour activists flew to the US to help Democratic candidate Kamala Harris in the election. Mr Gardiner fears relations between 78-year-old Trump and Starmer, 62, have deteriorated as a result.
The expert also believes Starmer should sack foreign secretary David Lammy, who has called the President-elect a "serial liar" and a "wannabe despot" in the past. This was raised during Prime Minister's Questions today, during which Starmer sidestepped any criticism to stress he and Trump have had "very constructive" conversations on global issues recently.
Nevertheless, Mr Gardiner said there would be "significant tensions ahead" when it came to Britain and America. He pointed out he feels Trump will not trust Starmer easily.
Donald Trump "will not trust Keir Starmer" - expert claims
Donald Trump will view Keir Starmer as a 'lightweight woke lefty'
Donald Trump will view Keir Starmer as a 'lightweight woke lefty' and will not trust him, a top US analyst has warned.
Nile Gardiner, director of The Heritage Foundation's Margaret Thatcher Center for Freedom, said the President-elect would see the Prime Minister as a "novice" when it comes to negotiating.
The Labour leader is currently 'in the dog house' after dozens of Labour activists flew to the US to help Democratic candidate Kamala Harris in the election.
Joe Biden's White House-issued statement
Biden, in a White House-issued statement, praised Harris as “a tremendous partner and public servant full of integrity, courage, and character.” It was Biden’s first public comment in the aftermath of Trump’s victory.
The president also noted that Harris entered the campaign under “extraordinary circumstances,” a nod to his dropping out of the race 108 days before Election Day amid growing pressure from within his party after his cataclysmic debate performance against Trump.
Biden added that Harris “stepped up and led a historic campaign that embodied what’s possible when guided by a strong moral compass and a clear vision for a nation that is more free, more just, and full of more opportunities for all Americans.”
President Biden will address US later today
President Biden will address the nation later today. The remarks to the nation will be Biden’s first appearance on camera in the aftermath of Donald Trump’s decisive victory over Kamala Harris.
Steve Kerr: ‘I believe in democracy, and I think the American people have spoken’
Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr spoke about the election ahead of a game against the Boston Celtics. In August, he coached the U.S. Olympics men’s team to a gold medal in Paris.
“Well, I believe in democracy, and I think the American people have spoken and voted for Trump, and I want him to do well the next four years. I want our country to do well.”
“It’s a complex world. We’ve got a lot of interesting stuff between wars abroad, a global economy that has shifted everything in terms of what it means for our citizens and their day-to-day lives,” he said. “I want what’s best for us. I hope Trump can deliver.”
Harris' body language was 'still heavy with gestures of authority'
Judi continued: "But then her hands clasped in a 'pray' gesture in front of her lips as she began to speak and her 'My heart is full' and 'I love you guys' came from a voice that appeared to be cracking with emotion. She appeared to be using some deep swallows to prevent actual tears breaking through. Her body language tone was still heavy with gestures of authority though. She wagged her finger and she performed constant head batons.
"She claimed to be 'so proud' with both hands held up, and the remainder of her speech contained a constant repetition of the word 'fight' with her finger raised in the air to emphasise a sense of cautious authority. She used the word 'peaceful' but said'‘I do not concede the fight'.
"Her smile dropped and her face looked drawn as she spoke in her usual word-salad style before her sign-off. Her husband stepped out to collect her with his usual rather dominant pose and they placed an arm around each other before he turned and crooked an arm and she walked off holding it in a rather old-fashioned-looking gesture of accepting support and being led. It was a rather stately exit look that implied she was being led off into the building and out of the world of politics."
Judi James shares analysis of Kamala Harris' body language
After Kamala Harris delivered her concession speech, Paddy Power Games caught up with body language expert Judi James to analyse her speech, the body language that she portrayed, as well as what we can infer from her reaction to losing the election.
The expert said: "After packing up early during the polling results and then the long delay before appearing to deliver this concession speech, Kamala Harris should have been on the back foot for this appearance but she decided to perform it, from the start at least, in the style of someone who had just won. Muscle memory might have kicked in and taken over her delivery style but there were verbal and visual echoes of her buoyant campaign appearances, with the grinning, the giggling and the crowd-hailing repeated cry of 'Good afternoon!'.
"There was little reason to verbally crowd-surf like this given the occasion, but Harris clapped them like a winner until the chuckling mood slowly evaporated. Tim Walz's tragic, tearful facial expression summed up the authentic mood of this crowd though. His lips were clamped and his wide mouth was pulled down at the corners in a clown-like mask of misery. This was in direct contrast to Kamala Harris’s body language display of what looked at times like reflecting victory rather than defeat.
"Harris strode out smiling to the cheering crowd, performing rituals normally associated with celebration. There was the first high wave before she applauded the crowd in that gesture of thanks and mutual reward. Her familiar, signature grin was still in place and it converted to laughter as she patted her chest in what looked like love and thanks.
"The start of her speech was the same signature sign-in that she has used when out campaigning. Her repeated 'Good afternoon!' cry was issued six times as though waiting for wild cheering to die down and she even giggled, laughed and pointed into the crowd. The impression was that the needle had got stuck in the record and she was somehow oblivious to what had happened earlier."
Harris suffered 'devastating loss', says adviser
David Plouffe, a top Harris adviser, said campaign staffers "left it all on the field for their country."
"We dug out of a deep hole but not enough," he said. "A devastating loss."
Harris became the Democratic candidate after Biden, who was already struggling to convince voters that he could serve as president until he was 86 years old, stumbled badly in his June 27 debate with Trump.
Keir Starmer speaks to Donald Trump
Keir Starmer has spoken to president-elect Donald Trump to congratulate him and discuss the relationship between the UK and US, a Downing Street spokeswoman said.
They also spoke about the situation in the Middle East, discussing the importance of regional stability.
The spokeswoman said: "The Prime Minister spoke to president-elect Donald Trump this evening to congratulate him on his historic victory.
"The Prime Minister offered his hearty congratulations and said he looked forward to working closely with president-elect Trump across all areas of the special relationship.
"From defence and security to growth and prosperity, the relationship between the UK and US was incredibly strong and would continue to thrive for many years to come, the leaders agreed.
"The Prime Minister also reflected on the situation in the Middle East and underscored the importance of regional stability.
"The leaders fondly recalled their meeting in September, and president-elect Trump's close connections and affinity to the United Kingdom and looked forward to working with one another."
Joe Biden to address nation on Thursday
Joe Biden plans to address the election results on Thursday.
The White House said he spoke with Harris and Trump on Wednesday, and he invited the president-elect to meet with him soon.
Tim Walz faces a new era of divided government in Minnesota
Governor Tim Walz faces a new era of divided government when he returns home from the presidential campaign trail, now that Republicans appear to have broken the Democratic trifecta that helped put him on Kamala Harris' radar.
While Democrats will keep their one-seat majority in the Senate, leaders on both sides agree that Republicans gained enough seats in the election to tie control of the House at 67-67.
According to a tally by The Associated Press, the chamber stood at 65-65 Wednesday afternoon. It would end in a 67-67 tie if the leaders of the last four undeclared races remain ahead. Two of them are so razor-thin that automatic recounts have been triggered unless lawmakers waive them.
The last time the House was tied was in 1979, and the history of that legislative session suggests that power-sharing will be contentious.
Harris was '100% genuine', showing 'resilience' and 'strength' during speech
Mr Stanton continued: "As Kamala stirs up the crowd and insists the fight is not over, we start to see anger flash through as a microexpression. Kamala makes a chin thrust as she references policies she doesn’t agree with - her demeanor changes from sweet and fluffy to a tough cookie. She wants to make one last statement to Trump and speak out against policies she doesn’t agree with. There is a notable emotional shift here, she gets sterner and more resolute.
"As she concludes her speech, her voice cracks once again. Her facial expression droops as she lets slip the sadness she is feeling internally. Masking her inner emotions, Kamala handles herself with dignity and gravitas as she continues to motivate the crowd. She is gracious in her defeat and avoids sarcasm or displaying arrogance, which Trump has been known to do previously.
"Kamala has been 100 per cent genuine in her delivery here and it shows the resilience and strength she has. She doesn’t adopt any defensive gestures, she doesn’t fold her arms or create a distance between herself and the crowd. As she walks off stage, she continues to hold herself with real dignity and keeps her posture open - a sign she has been her true and authentic self."
VP reminiscent of Obama as she makes 'final statement' to Trump
The Vice President was reminiscent of Barack Obama as she made "one last statement" against Donald Trump while being gracious and "truly authentic" in defeat, a body language expert said.
Speaking on behalf of Slingo, body language expert Darren Stanton said: "Kamala responds very much to feelings and thoughts as a kinaesthetic person who responds to emotions quite easily.
"She's very reminiscent of Barack Obama, the way that she speaks, the cadence, the tone, how she builds to a crescendo - it’s very similar to the former President.
"When subject changes to Trump, her voice cracks slightly, you'll notice Kamala closes her eyes for a second, her eyebrows come together, and you’ll see an increase in her blink rate as the emotion kicks in.
"Here Kamala's body language gives her away and shows she is very much putting on a brave face and internally, the defeat is gutting for her. She pauses more here and begins to swallow - signs of anxiety."
In pictures: Kamala Harris' supporters emotional during her concession speech
Photos taken at Howard University in Washington DC this afternoon show a number of the VP's supporters - mainly women - feeling emotional after she conceded the election to Donald Trump.
'Only when it is dark enough can you see the stars'
Closing her concession speech, Kamala Harris said is "an adage a historian once called a law of history, true of every society across the ages."
That adage is: "Only when it is dark enough can you see the stars."
The Vice President added: "I know many people feel like we are entering a dark time, but for the benefit of us all, I hope that is not the case.
"But if it is, let us fill the sky with the light of a brilliant, brilliant billion of stars, the light of optimism, of faith, of truth, and of service."
Kamala Harris promises 'peaceful transfer of power'
Kamala Harris vowed to "engage in a peaceful transfer of power" with Donald Trump, as she revealed details of their call in her concession speech.
She said: "I also told him that we will help him and his team with their transition, and that we will engage in a peaceful transfer of power.
"A fundamental principle of American democracy is that when we lose an election, we accept the results.
"That principle, as much as any other, distinguishes democracy from tyranny."
While she didn't mention it directly, it seemed a reference to Trump's reaction to the 2020 election, as he didn't accept the results and urged his supporters to fight, leading to the infamous US Capitol attack on January 6, 2021.
Tim Walz was in the audience during concession speech
Kamala Harris' running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, was in the audience as she delivered her concession speech.
So were Reps. Nancy Pelosi, the former House speaker, and Barbara Lee, both from Harris' home state of California.
'We must accept the results of this election,' says Kamala Harris
Kamala Harris said on Wednesday that "we must accept the results of this election" as she encouraged supporters to continue fighting for their vision of the country after her loss to Donald Trump.
The Democratic vice president said the battle would continue "in the voting booth, in the courts and in the public square."
"Sometimes the fight takes a while," she said. "That doesn’t mean we won't win."
VP tells her supporters: 'Do not despair'
Democrat Kamala Harris told supporters it was "OK to feel sad and disappointed" before telling them their causes of pro-choice and ending gun violence in the US were causes worth fighting for.
"You have the capacity to do extraordinary good in the world," she said.
"So, to everyone who is watching, do not despair. This is not a time to throw up our hands.
"This is a time to roll up our sleeves. This is a time to organise, to mobilise and to stay engaged for the sake of freedom and justice and the future that we all know we can build together."
Harris confirms she spoke to Trump
Kamala Harris confirmed she spoke to Trump to congratulate him earlier today.
She said during her speech at Howard University: "Earlier today, I spoke with president-elect Trump and congratulated him on his victory.
"I also told him that we will help him and his team with their transition and that we will engage in a peaceful transfer of power."
VP promises to fight for 'freedom'
The VP said: "The fight for our freedom will take hard work."
But she added: "We like hard work."
Harris concedes election - but not 'fight that fuelled this campaign'
Harris: "We owe loyalty not to a president or a party, but to the constitution of the United States."
She added: "While I concede this election, I do not concede the fight that fuelled this campaign."