Donald Trump’s stunning victory was solidified on Saturday as he claimed Arizona, making a clean sweep of key battleground states, just as Joe Biden pledged a “peaceful” transition of power. The outgoing president will host his fiercest political adversary in the Oval Office on Wednesday to begin preparations for Trump’s historic return to power.
After four days of vote counting, CNN and NBC declared Trump the winner in Arizona, a traditionally Republican state that narrowly went to Biden in 2020. Trump had already secured victories in other critical states: Georgia, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Nevada.
While these results don’t change the overall outcome, the 11 electoral votes from Arizona further cement Trump’s indisputable triumph over Kamala Harris. He is now nearly certain to win the popular vote against the Democrat, becoming the first Republican president in two decades to achieve this feat, defying pollsters' predictions.
Trump will also have a Republican-controlled Senate and is poised to retain the majority in the House of Representatives.
An Unexpected Transition of Power
Handing over the keys to the White House to Trump marks a humiliating defeat for Biden, who has been criticized by his own party for allegedly facilitating Trump's explosive comeback due to his pride.
Following weeks of lackluster campaigning, Biden withdrew from the race in July, citing his age, 81, and leaving the reins to his vice president, Kamala Harris.
Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi remarked in the New York Times that Biden’s early support for Harris blocked any chance for a primary. While Harris had campaigned energetically, she struggled to convince voters that she understood their economic and security concerns.
Despite her harsh rhetoric against Trump, whom she branded a “fascist,” Harris was soundly defeated. She has since pledged to “assist Trump during the transition period. Biden, too, vowed a calm transfer of power, hoping to ease tensions in an anxious nation.
This starkly contrasts with 2020, when Trump refused to acknowledge his loss and skipped Biden's inauguration after his supporters stormed the Capitol on January 6th to block the certification of Biden's victory.
Four years later, the real estate tycoon, who survived two assassination attempts during his campaign and faced both criminal and civil charges, is staging a remarkable return to the White House.
New Faces in Trump's Government
Trump’s first term was marked by a revolving door of cabinet members and advisers. As he prepares for a second term, he has already made some key appointments. On Thursday, he named Susie Wiles, the architect of his campaign, as his chief of staff, making her the first woman to hold this critical role.
Future appointments are expected in the coming weeks, with potential roles for Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who could oversee public health, and billionaire Elon Musk, who may be tasked with overhauling the federal administration.
However, Trump has ruled out bringing back former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and former UN ambassador Nikki Haley, both of whom fell out of favor during the Republican primaries.
Trump has promised Americans a better life through tax cuts and tariffs, along with a pledge to carry out “mass expulsions” of undocumented migrants.
With AFP
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