US polls: Donald Trump storms back into White House

Donald Trump stormed into the White House for the second time after convincingly defeating the US Vice-President Kamala Harris, surviving an assassin's bullet and fighting a high-pitched campaign for the top post.

Elected the 47th president of the United States, Trump pulled off a stunning political comeback in one of the most polarised contests for the highest office.

At 78, Trump became the oldest president in US history to take the Oval Office. He is only the second president to win a non-consecutive second term. The first was Grover Cleveland, who served two four-year terms starting in 1885 and 1893.

UAE President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan sent a message of congratulations to Donald Trump on his victory.

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, and His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Presidential Court, sent similar congratulatory messages to Donald Trump.

“We overcame obstacles that nobody thought possible,” Trump told a victory party in Florida, adding that he would take office with an “unprecedented and powerful mandate.”

That mandate extended to the Senate, where Republicans won control with a slew of victories. Republicans also posted early gains as they battled to retain control of the House of Representatives.

If they prevail, Republicans would be in a position to dictate the agenda in Washington, helping Trump deliver on his promise to slash taxes and restrict immigration.

At the site of Kamala Harris's election night party, the scene was different. When it became clear that the vice-president would not speak at Howard University, those gathered headed home, leaving behind empty chairs and abandoned flags.

The battle was over.

The victory came faster than expected with major networks calling the election in Trump’s favour early Wednesday. Pundits had earlier warned of a likely long wait for final results with keen fights in seven battleground states. In the end he secured more than the 270 Electoral College votes needed, delivering a crushing victory that included wins in the swing states of Georgia, North Carolina and Pennsylvania. He also led Harris by about 5 million votes in the popular count.

Policy shift

Trump's victory comes with his promise of radical policy shifts - not just at home but also abroad.

He has suggested he would end the conflict in Ukraine by pressuring Kyiv to make territorial concessions to Russia, and his threat of mass deportations of illegal immigrants has stirred deep concern in Latin America.

He also returns to the White House poised to dismantle President Joe Biden's green policies.

World leaders welcome victory

World leaders pledged to work with Trump after his election triumph. They included longtime Trump allies, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Also messaging Trump was Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who is predicted to see a rapid reduction in US military aid once Biden leaves office. Zelenksy said he hoped the "impressive victory" would help his country find a "just peace."

NATO's chief, Mark Rutte, said Trump, who has frequently expressed displeasure with the US-led alliance, would make it "strong."

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer joined the stream of well-wishers, while French President Emmanuel Macron vowed to join Trump in working "with respect and ambition."

Trump ran for office when Americans were frustrated by high prices and, to a lesser extent, illegal immigration across the US southern border.

Those were Trump's signature issues, ones that weighed down Vice President Harris' candidacy.

The Trump campaign also put a great deal of effort into persuading Black and Latino voters to defect from the Democratic Party – and there were some indications those efforts paid off.

Harris fell short in her 15-week sprint as a candidate, failing to galvanise enough support to defeat Trump, who occupied the White House from 2017-2021, or to allay voters' concerns about the economy and immigration.