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Tag: U.S. election

  • Biden set to address nation after Trump’s decisive U.S. election win

    Biden set to address nation after Trump’s decisive U.S. election win

    U.S. President Joe Biden was set to address the nation on Thursday after a stinging election defeat for his Democratic Party at the hands of Republican Donald Trump.

    Trump staged a stunning political comeback which has reverberated around the world.

    Biden, who was replaced in July as the Democrats’ candidate in the race by Vice President Kamala Harris because of concerns about his mental acuity after a stumbling debate with Trump, will speak at 11:00 a.m. (1600 GMT), the White House said.

    Harris sought on Wednesday to console the voters who had hoped she would become the first woman to win the White House.

    She, like Biden, has promised to aid Trump’s transition between now and his inauguration on Jan. 20 but said she was not prepared to embrace his vision for the country.

    Trump’s campaign said Biden had invited him to a meeting at the White House at an unspecified time.

    Former President Trump’s victory, surprisingly decisive after opinion polls that had shown a neck-and-neck contest ahead of Tuesday’s election, underscored how disenchanted Americans had become with the economy – in particular the effect of inflation on their standard of living – border security and the direction of the country and its culture.

    Hispanics, traditionally Democratic voters, and lower-income households hit hardest by inflation helped fuel the victory.

    Harris’ campaign had sought to press the message that Trump was unfit to serve again as president, as a convicted felon and one whose false claims of voting fraud after his 2020 election defeat spurred a mob to storm the U.S. Capitol.

    This time, Trump prevailed in five of the seven battleground states to push him past the 270 Electoral College votes needed to win the presidency and was leading in the remaining two, Arizona and Nevada, where votes were still being tallied.

    He was also on track to become the first Republican presidential candidate to win the popular vote since George W. Bush two decades ago.

    Republicans wrested control of the U.S. Senate from Democrats, ensuring Trump will control at least one chamber of Congress next year.

    It is not clear if they will retain their majority in the U.S. House of Representatives, with dozens of races not yet called.

    U.S. stocks rallied to close at record highs on Wednesday after Trump’s victory.

    Investors expected lower taxes, deregulation, with a U.S. president who is not shy to weigh in on everything from the stock market to the dollar, although fresh tariffs could bring challenges in the form of a higher deficit and inflation.

    In the days and weeks ahead, Trump will select personnel to serve under his leadership, his campaign said on Wednesday.

    Tesla CEO Elon Musk, the world’s richest man and a prominent Trump donor, has been promised a role in his administration, as has former presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

    JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon and billionaire hedge fund manager John Paulson were seen as possible new entrants to his administration, while former Trump officials Robert O’Brien and Mike Pompeo could return to office.

    However, a source said on Wednesday that Dimon would remain at the bank and had no plans to join Trump’s administration.

    On trade, Trump is expected to revive policies he favoured during his first term, notably tariffs that he has called the “most beautiful word.”

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    That could set him on a collision course with China, which has the world’s second-largest economy, sow discord with allies, and roil global industries from automakers to chipmakers.

    Chinese President Xi Jinping sent Trump a congratulatory message and said he hopes the two powers will coexist peacefully and achieve win-win cooperation, China’s state-run Xinhua news agency reported.

    Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiywas among world leaders congratulating Trump.

    But Trump has been critical of Biden’s assistance for Ukraine in its war with Russia.

    He has said he could end the war in 24 hours but has not offered a detailed plan.

    The White House plans to rush billions of dollars in security assistance to Ukraine before Biden leaves office in January, sources said on Wednesday, hoping to shore up the government in Kyiv before Trump takes over.

    (Reuters/NAN)

  • D-Day for ‘most contentious’ U.S. election

    D-Day for ‘most contentious’ U.S. election

    • Trump, Harris in tight race

    • 77m already voted

    Democratic candidate and Vice President Kamala Harris and Republican candidate and former President Donald Trump yesterday embarked on a whirlwind final day of rallies in the last minute push to sway undecided voters in United States most contentious presidential election.

    Both candidates focused on key battleground states, seeking a surge of votes before polls open.

    Harris and Trump have been in a tight race, with seven swing states poised to decide the election’s outcome. Each candidate has doubled down on the message that the stakes are monumental, painting the election as a pivotal moment in America’s history.

    As of press time last night, more than 77 million had performed their civic duty through early voting and absentee options, setting the stage for what could be another record-breaking turnout.

    Yesterday, Harris devoted her time to Pennsylvania, a state that could make the difference with its 19 electoral votes.

    Taking off from Allentown, she later visited working-class neighborhoods before concluding with a large rally in Philadelphia featuring high-profile supporters, including Oprah Winfrey and Lady Gaga.

    The vice president has framed her campaign as a defense of democracy and a push for economic and social justice, appealing to voters disillusioned by recent political turmoil.

    Across Pennsylvania, Trump’s campaign also zeroed in on crucial constituencies in Reading and Pittsburgh. Trump’s day began in Raleigh, North Carolina, before heading to Pennsylvania and concluding with his last rally in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

    Known for his fiery rhetoric, Trump used the rallies to double down on his message of economic reform, vowing tax cuts, wage increases, and a manufacturing revival.

    He said: “We’re going to cut your taxes, end inflation, slash your prices, raise your wages, and bring thousands of factories back to America,” he declared in Lititz, Pennsylvania, appealing to voters with economic concerns.

    Let’s get this done’, Harris’ call to action in Pennsylvania

    Amid chants of “Let’s get this done,” Harris urged her supporters to rally their communities and stressed the importance of voter turnout in Pennsylvania.

    Addressing Democratic canvassers in Scranton, she assured them saying: “I’m telling you guys, we’re good. So we’re going to keep doing this work.”

    Reflecting on her early career challenges, Harris shared a story about campaigning with only an ironing board as her podium during her first election in San Francisco, drawing cheers from the crowd.

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     She highlighted the campaign’s extensive voter mobilisation strategy, which included knocking on hundreds of thousands of doors across swing states.

    Her campaign chair, Jen O’Malley Dillon reported optimism within the Harris camp, citing encouraging internal data showing support among women and young voters.

    “We feel very good about where we are right now,” Dillon told reporters.

    Trump’s threat of tariffs on Mexico

    Trump, on the other hand, turned his attention to immigration policy, a cornerstone of his platform. At his rally in Raleigh, he issued a dramatic ultimatum: a 25% tariff on Mexican imports if Mexico’s government fails to curb migration to the U.S.

    Addressing the crowd, Trump declared: “The day I take office, the migrant invasion ends, and the restoration of our country begins.”

    He promised to pressure newly elected Mexican President, Claudia Sheinbaum into action, and if that failed, to incrementally increase tariffs, saying: “I’ll make it 75 cent percent if that’s what it takes.”

    The ultimatum echoed Trump’s 2015 promise to build a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border, though he ultimately built only portions of it without financial backing from Mexico.

    Harris has responded to Trump’s comments, emphasising a need for bipartisan immigration reform, including provisions for increased border security and improved asylum processes. Her proposed reforms contrast sharply with Trump’s hardline stance, signaling a clear divide in their approaches to immigration.

    Voter sentiment and campaign strategies

    Both campaigns have unleashed a final advertising blitz across social media and airwaves, coupled with intensive ground campaigns in swing states.

    Harris’ strategy emphasises coalition-building, aiming to appeal to undecided voters, women, and minority groups, while Trump’s team has focused on what it calls “low-propensity” voters who may lean Republican but have historically low voter participation.

    The close race, especially in battleground states like Pennsylvania and North Carolina, underscores deep divisions within the electorate.

    Trump’s rhetoric about the economy, rising inflation, and immigration resonates with his base, many of whom express dissatisfaction with the Biden-Harris administration’s handling of these issues.

    Harris, on the other hand, has emphasised democratic values, economic justice, and social equity, contrasting Trump’s campaign promises with calls for unity and progress.

    Echoes of 2020 and controversy over election integrity

    While Harris has largely focused on voter turnout, Trump has continued to question the integrity of the election process, a narrative that echoes his 2020 claims of electoral fraud.

    The former president warned of potential challenges if he loses, vowing “retribution” and calling Democrats the “enemy within.” The divisive language has fueled fears of post-election tensions, with Trump supporters vowing vigilance against what he calls “rigged” elections.

    Polling data suggests that a large portion of Americans view threats to democracy as a primary issue in this election, second only to economic concerns. Trump has criticised the current administration’s approach to these challenges, particularly inflation, while Harris has attributed economic issues to broader, long-standing systemic factors.

    On Sunday, Trump took aim at the media and what he called inadequate protection at his rallies, remarking that an assassin would “have to shoot through the news media to get me,” sparking concern about his inflammatory rhetoric.

    Historic choice for America

    This election could have historic implications, not only for policy directions but also for representation. Harris’ ascension as the first woman and first woman of color to run as a major party’s presidential nominee marks a milestone in U.S. history, making this election particularly resonant for female and minority voters.

    In contrast, Trump’s campaign continues to bank on his base’s loyalty and nostalgia for his previous tenure, with many supporters viewing him as a champion of their values and economic interests.

    Both candidates are ending their campaigns on a note of urgency. Trump’s campaign has outsourced significant portions of its ground game to super PACs, focusing on securing support from Trump loyalists.

    Harris’ approach, meanwhile, has been to build a broader coalition, appealing to undecided voters while relying on Democratic loyalists to help mobilise communities.

    What lies ahead?

    With the polls set to open in a matter of hours, both campaigns have ramped up their outreach efforts, and both candidates are making their final appeals.

    Harris’ rally in Philadelphia marks the culmination of her final day’s push in Pennsylvania, a crucial state that could determine the winner. Trump, meanwhile, will cap his campaign with his rally in Grand Rapids, Michigan, a place where he has historically ended his campaigns.

    In some hours to come, millions of Americans will cast their votes, potentially shifting the country’s course for the next four years. Both Harris and Trump know the gravity of the moment, and both are bracing for an outcome that, given the closely divided electorate, could extend well beyond Election Day.