Former President Donald Trump won the presidential election as called on Nov. 6 by the Associated Press, making him America’s 47th president. In the electoral college, Trump received 312 electoral votes while Vice President Kamala Harris received 226 votes. Trump also won the popular vote, receiving 50.3% of votes.
Trump’s win hinged on winning swing states, all of which he won: Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Georgia, Michigan, Arizona, Wisconsin, and Nevada. Wisconsin was won by a narrow margin of 0.9%.
Trump won Georgia by gaining support from the Black population that holds the majority in counties such as Hancock and Clayton, which voted for President Joe Biden in the 2020 election.
By campaigning hard in Pennsylvania, Trump was able to shift almost every one of its counties in his favor, contrasting its largely Democratic turnout in the 2020 Election. Gains in the urban Philadelphia County and rural Pike County played key roles in Trump’s victory here.
Trump also gained integral support in Michigan’s most diverse counties with Black and Latinx voters. Counties that leaned Democratic were those with high white populations.
Majority-Black counties across the board swung Republican by an average of 5.5 points this election, which is a shocking change from the typically Democratic majorities previously held in those counties.
In the Senate, Republicans flipped four formerly Democratic seats, resulting in 53 Republican seats and 47 Democrat and Democrat-caucusing seats. This gives Republicans control of the Senate until the 2026 Election, which could shift control of the Senate and House.
The House Election has yet to be called, Republicans lead with 214 of the 218 seats needed for control as of Nov. 12. Democrats lost one seat, having 205 seats. 17 seats are yet to be decided.
Within his four years, Trump promises the largest deportation of immigrants in American history. He seeks to hire thousands of additional border agents, channel military spending into border security, and utilize the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 to deport suspected members of drug cartels and criminal gangs without a court hearing. Trump also plans on restoring the ‘Remain in Mexico’ policy from his first term to require asylum seekers to remain in Mexico until their cases are processed.
Additionally, Trump plans on implementing a 60 percent tax on the importation of all Chinese goods, paired with a 10-20 percent across-the-board tax on U.S. goods imports.
Trump also has previously backed a plan to grant Israel greater control over Palestinians. He plans on greatly increasing U.S. support for Israel and claims to be in communication with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, according to The Times of Israel.
Trump believes that he will be able to quickly reach a peace agreement between Russia and Ukraine, stating during his campaign that he would begin talks before taking office. However, he has threatened to cease investment in Ukraine if it ends up victorious in the war against Russia.
With Republicans controlling the Senate and likely the House, Trump plans on swiftly passing executive orders that support his agenda and larger outlook on the future of the United States. Action in this term will likely be quicker than in his first term with his added government experience and unlimited legislative support from the Republican party.
