Republican candidate Donald Trump was elected the 45th president of the United States of America in the early hours of Wednesday, November 9, after what has been deemed the most divisive election in modern history, the Associated Press and Fox News projected. Hear his victory speech in the video above.
The businessman turned POTUS elect, 70, celebrated his win alongside his famous family, including wife Melania Trump, at the Hilton hotel in Midtown Manhattan. Elected along with Trump is his vice presidential running mate, Mike Pence.
The former Apprentice host defeated Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton, denying the former Secretary of State the chance to become the first female president of the U.S. Despite her campaign manager, John Podesta, refusing to concede the election in the early hours of Wednesday a.m., CNN reports that Clinton called Trump to concede.
Trump is the first person to be elected POTUS without prior military or government experience, and is also the oldest candidate to be elected to the White House.
Trump claimed the all-important states of Florida, Ohio and North Carolina, denying Clinton a path to victory after a strong turnout that defied polling predictions.
The Queens, New York, native contemplated running for presidency in 1988, 2004 and 2012 before announcing his candidacy in June 2015.
Throughout his campaign, Trump made headlines for various controversial comments, and multiple woman came forward to claim sexual misconduct by the real estate mogul. The former reality star was also criticized for making inaccurate and racially charged comments, specifically pertaining to immigration and Islamic terrorism.
As Trump heads to the White House, the businessman, who vowed in his campaign slogan to “make America great again,” will not only have to tackle uniting the country after such a polarizing election, but have to tackle key issues and provide what his camp describes as a “fresh perspective” versus “failed policies.”
