The Trump era resumes, after a four-year intermission. Here’s how he reclaimed the White House.
Donald J. Trump completed the greatest political comeback in modern U.S. history in the early hours of Wednesday, claiming enough electoral votes to defeat Vice President Kamala Harris and return to the White House for a second term.
The president-elect declared victory in a speech from Florida at 2:30 a.m. ET, saying he had masterminded the « greatest political movement of all time » and pledging to « help our country heal », after vowing during the campaign to exact « retribution » on his political enemies. It was a nearly unthinkable coda to what can now be considered an intermission to the Trump era, which began with his refusal to concede defeat four years ago.
A violent attack on the Capitol by a mob of his supporters followed, which was then followed by four criminal indictments, a felony conviction on 91 charges, a $354 million judgment in a civil case against him and his business and another jury finding him liable for sexual abuse and defamation.
« The real verdict is going to be November 5, by the people », Trump said earlier this year.
Sure enough, the verdict arrived in his favor. « We overcame obstacles that nobody thought possible », Trump told a crowd of supporters assembled at the convention center near his Mar-a-Lago estate.
After thanking voters, he said he would not rest until he had delivered a « golden age » for America.
« He’s the toughest son of a gun I’ve ever seen », Fox News’ Brit Hume said late on Tuesday, as the results began to break Trump’s way.
