Donald Trump claimed victory and pledged to “heal” the nation Wednesday as outcomes put him on the verge of beating Kamala Harris in a surprising White Home comeback.

His exuberant speech got here even if solely Fox Information had declared him the winner, with no different US networks having made the decision thus far.

As jubilant supporters cheered and chanted “USA”, Trump took to the stage at his marketing campaign headquarters in Florida alongside together with his spouse Melania and several other of his youngsters.

“We’re going to assist our nation heal,” the Republican former president stated.

“It’s a political victory that our nation has by no means seen earlier than.”

US networks have known as the swing states of Pennsylvania, Georgia and North Carolina for the 78-year-old, and he led the Democratic vice chairman within the others though they haven’t been known as but.

Gloom swiftly descended on Harris’s camp. “You gained’t hear from the vice chairman tonight however you’ll hear from her tomorrow,” Cedric Richmond, Harris marketing campaign co-chair, instructed a watch get together in Washington as supporters left.

In an additional blow to Democrats, Trump’s Republican Occasion additionally seized management of the Senate, flipping two seats to overturn a slim Democratic majority.

A Trump victory threatens to trigger shockwaves world wide, as US allies in Europe and Asia concern a return of his nationalist insurance policies and his reward of autocrats like Russia’s Vladimir Putin.

However the US greenback surged and bitcoin hit a file excessive whereas most fairness markets superior as merchants guess on a victory for Trump because the outcomes rolled in.

Polls for weeks had proven a knife-edge race between Harris and Trump, who could be the oldest ever president on the time of inauguration, the primary felon president and solely the second in historical past to serve non-consecutive phrases.

Trump additionally faces sentencing in a felony case over hush cash funds on November 26, whereas the controversy over his denial of his 2020 election defeat by Joe Biden nonetheless persists.

However in the long run victory got here surprisingly shortly.

The temper shifted sharply at Harris’s watch get together in Howard College — her former school and a traditionally Black college in Washington — because the outcomes got here in.

“I’m scared,” stated Charlyn Anderson. “I’m anxious now. I’m leaving, my legs can barely transfer.”

In distinction, the celebrations intensified at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida and the watch get together close by.

Tech tycoon Elon Musk, who has backed Trump and stands to steer a authorities effectivity fee beneath him, posted an image of himself with the Republican.

“Sport, set and match,” Musk stated on X, the social media community he owns together with the Tesla electrical car agency and the House X firm.

Hundreds of thousands of Individuals had lined up all through Election Day — and hundreds of thousands extra voted early — in a race with momentous penalties for the USA and the world.

They had been deciding whether or not to both hand a historic comeback to Trump or make Harris the primary lady on the planet’s strongest job.

In a stark reminder of the strain — and fears of outright violence — dozens of bomb threats had been made in opposition to polling stations in Georgia and Pennsylvania.

The FBI stated the threats appeared to originate in Russia, which is accused by Washington of making an attempt to meddle within the election. The threats had been all hoaxes however succeeded in disrupting proceedings.

Harris, 60, had aiming to be solely the second Black and first particular person of South Asian descent to be president.

She made a dramatic entrance into the race when Biden dropped out in July, whereas Trump — twice impeached whereas president — has since ridden out two assassination makes an attempt and a felony conviction.

She hammered dwelling her message that Trump was a menace to democracy and her opposition to Trump-backed abortion bans.

Trump has vowed an unprecedented deportation marketing campaign of hundreds of thousands of undocumented immigrants, in a marketing campaign filled with darkish rhetoric.

The election is being watched carefully world wide together with within the struggle zones of Ukraine and the Center East. Trump has indicated he’ll minimize support to Kyiv’s battle in opposition to the Russian invasion.