Criminal convictions, assassination attempts and a change in political opponent couldn’t stop Republican Donald Trump from winning the 2024 US election with a thumping majority to become 47th President on January 20
New York: In a stunning comeback from his loss to Joe Biden in 2020, Republican Donald Trump carved out a decisive victory with wins in crucial swing states on November 5, defeating Vice-President Kamala Harris, the Democratic nominee. And billionaire Elon Musk was standing right behind him throughout the campaign.
"America has given us an unprecedented and powerful mandate,” Trump, 78, told cheering supporters in Florida as he hailed a “magnificent victory”.
“We made history,” Trump said during his victory speech, staging a comeback against all odds. "This will truly be the golden age of America. That's why this is a magnificent victory for the American people that will allow us to make America great again”, he said at his West Palm Beach campaign headquarters.
President Joe Biden declared that Vice President Harris will “continue the fight” and be a “leader for generations” even though she lost the election to succeed him.
“She will continue the fight with purpose, determination, and joy. She will continue to be a champion for all Americans”, Biden said in a statement. “Above all, she will continue to be a leader our children will look up to for generations to come as she puts her stamp on America’s future”, he added. In her concession speech, Harris said she was proud of the campaign and stressed that "when we lose an election, we accept the results".
"I am so proud of the race we ran and the way we ran it. Over the 107 days of this campaign, we have been intentional about building community and building coalitions, bringing people together from every walk of life and background, united by the love of the country with enthusiasm and joy in our fight for America's future. And we did it with the knowledge that we all have so much more in common than what separates us," Harris said.
"While I concede this election, I do not concede the fight that fueled this campaign," she said. "Sometimes the fight takes a while. That doesn't mean we won't win."
In her speech, Harris highlighted Democrats' key issues such as abortion, gun violence, and equal justice, vowing that "we will continue to wage this fight in the voting booth, in the courts, and the public square".
World leaders congratulate Trump
Several world leaders from around the world, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, congratulated Trump following his victory in the US presidential election, lauding the US leader's "historic" achievement.
PM Modi highlighted that his spectacular and resounding victory reflects the deep trust of the American people. The two leaders reiterated the importance of the India-U.S. Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership for global peace and stability.
Besides PM Modi, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu were also among the first to congratulate Trump. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky also extended his congratulations to Trump on his "impressive" victory and expressed hope that his presidency would bring "peace in Ukraine closer" amid the ongoing conflict with Russia.
French President Emmanuel Macron expressed readiness for renewed cooperation. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni also extended her warm wishes to the 47th US President.
(Photo courtesy: X@realDonaldTrump)
Trump picks up Cabinet, administration
The President-elect is picking from his most loyal supporters as he creates his Cabinet and appoints others to key roles within his administration.
From Pete Hegseth as defense secretary and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as head of the Department of Health and Human Services, Trump appears to be selecting from the pool of contenders who were loyal to him while he was running for reelection.
However, Trump has also selected several Indian-Americans for prominent positions in his prospective administration. These appointments include roles in law enforcement, government efficiency, and health.
He nominated Kash Patel to lead the FBI, replacing Christopher Wray, subject to Senate confirmation. Vivek Ramaswamy, a former presidential candidate, was chosen by Trump to head the Department of Government Efficiency. The US President-elect has also nominated Dr. Jay Bhattacharya to direct the National Institutes of Health. Usha Chilukuri Vance, wife of incoming Vice President JD Vance, will serve as the second lady.
Another individual mentioned for a position in the Trump administration is Tulsi Gabbard who has advocated for stronger US-India relations during her time in Congress.
President-elect has also named Indian-American entrepreneur Sriram Krishnan as the Senior White House Policy Advisor on Artificial Intelligence (AI). Krishnan, a renowned venture capitalist and author, has an impressive background, having worked with tech giants like Twitter, Microsoft, Facebook, Yahoo!, and Snap.
In his new role, he will collaborate closely with David Sacks, who has been designated as the White House AI and Crypto Czar.
Tariff threats loom
Meanwhile, Trump has warned several countries about upcoming potential tariffs, as he gears up for his ‘America First’ policy to take a concrete shape. His proposals include a new 20 percent “universal” tariff on all foreign imports and hiking tariffs on China to 60 percent.
The European Union (EU) is open to discussing trade issues, including energy, with the US President-elect. His remarks came after Trump took to the social media platform Truth Social, warning the EU of potential tariffs if the bloc does not increase its purchase of US oil and gas.
He has pledged big tariffs on America's three largest trading partners - Canada, Mexico and China. Trump said he would impose a 25 percent tariff on imports from Canada and Mexico until they clamped down on drugs, particularly fentanyl, and migrants crossing the border.
He separately outlined “an additional 10 percent tariff, above any additional tariffs" on imports from China. It was not clear yet as he previously pledged to end China's most-favored-nation trading status and slap tariffs on Chinese imports in excess of 60 percent.
