Abortion rights advocates win in 7 states and clear way to overturn Missouri ban but lose in 3
Voters in Missouri cleared the way to undo one of the nation’s most restrictive abortion bans in one of seven victories for abortion rights advocates, while Florida, Nebraska and South Dakota defeated similar constitutional amendments, leaving bans in place.
Abortion rights amendments also passed in Arizona, Colorado, Maryland and Montana. Nevada voters also approved an amendment, but they’ll need to pass it again it 2026 for it to take effect. Another that bans discrimination on the basis of “pregnancy outcomes” prevailed in New York.
The results came in the same election where Trump won the presidency. Among his inconsistent positions on abortion has been an insistence that it’s an issue best left to the states. Still, the president can have a major impact on abortion policy through executive action.
▶ Read more about the national abortion landscape
Harris heads to deliver her concession speech
Harris has left the vice president’s residence and is traveling to Howard University, her alma mater, to publicly concede the election to President-elect Trump.
Harris has already spoken to Trump by telephone to congratulate him on winning, according to one of the VP’s aides. Trump’s team has confirmed the conversation.
Second gentleman Doug Emhoff will join Harris at Howard.
Trump gets congratulatory call from Jordanian king
Jordan’s King Abdullah II is urging Trump to boost international efforts to protect regional and global stability.
The Jordanian Royal Court posted on X that the king called Trump to congratulate him on winning the presidential election.
He noted in the call that the United States plays a pivotal role in maintaining stability in the Mideast and world, the royal court said.
Donald Trump has sweeping plans for a second administration. Here’s what he’s proposed
The former president and now president-elect often skipped over details but through more than a year of policy pronouncements and written statements outlined a wide-ranging agenda that blends traditional conservative approaches to taxes, regulation and cultural issues with a more populist bent on trade and a shift in America’s international role.
Trump’s agenda also would scale back federal government efforts on civil rights and expand presidential powers.
▶ Read more about Trump’s proposed policy plans
Belarusian president congratulates Trump
Belarus’ authoritarian leader President Alexander Lukashenko has congratulated Donald Trump on winning the U.S. presidential election, despite tensions between the countries.
“You did it first and foremost in the name of America and its citizens. I wish you good health, well-aimed political decisions that will make America great again,” Lukashenko said in a statement.
Since protests against alleged fraud in the 2020 elections that gave Lukashenko a sixth term in office, he has led a harsh and extensive crackdown on opposition. The Trump administration adopted two packages of sanctions against Belarus for the falsification of its own 2020 elections and violence against protesters.
Special counsel evaluating how to wind down two federal cases against Trump after presidential win
FILE – Prosecutor Jack Smith waits for the start of the court session of Kadri Veseli’s initial appearance at the Kosovo Specialist Chambers court in The Hague, Netherlands, Nov. 10, 2020. Smith, the prosecutor named as special counsel to oversee investigations related to former President Donald Trump, has a long career confronting public corruption and war crimes. (Robin van Lonkhuijsen/Pool Photo via AP)
Special counsel Jack Smith is evaluating how to wind down the two federal cases against Trump before he takes office in light of longstanding Justice Department policy that says sitting presidents cannot be prosecuted, a person familiar with the matter said Wednesday.
Smith charged Trump last year with plotting to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election and illegally hoarding classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate. But Trump’s election defeat of Kamala Harris means that the Justice Department believes he can no longer face prosecution in accordance with decades-old department legal opinions meant to shield presidents from criminal charges while in office.
▶ Read more about the special counsel’s decision
Top Harris adviser says they ‘dug out of a deep hole but not enough’
David Plouffe, the longtime adviser to former President Barack Obama turned top Harris aide, wrote Wednesday that the Democratic operation “left it all on the field for their county” but eventually it was not enough against Trump.
“We dug out of a deep hole but not enough,” Plouffe wrote. “A devastating loss. Thanks for being in the arena, all of you.”
Plouffe’s comments come at a time when some Democrats are starting to blame President Biden for not stepping away earlier, constraining Harris to a truncated campaign.
Biden calls to congratulate Trump
President Joe Biden has called President-elect Trump to congratulate him on his election victory and to invite him to the White House to discuss the transition.
The White House said staff would coordinate a date “in the near future.” Biden plans to address the nation on the election results, which will have sharp implications for his legacy, on Thursday. Biden also spoke with Vice President Harris to congratulate her on her campaign.
Doc Rivers: ‘We want him to do the best job for the country, at the end of the day’
Milwaukee Bucks coach Doc Rivers had campaigned for Kamala Harris and called Donald Trump’s Madison Square Garden rally “atrocious” during an Oct. 28 pregame availability. Rivers struck a conciliatory tone Wednesday while discussing the election results.
“I was disappointed in the results, you know, I really was,” Rivers said during a postpractice media session. “This is the most involved I’ve ever been in an election. A lot of it was personal because I’ve known Kamala for over 15 years. I thought she would have been a terrific president. The problem is 65-million-plus disagreed with me, and now Donald Trump’s our president, and we’re going to have to support him. We want him to do the best job for the country, at the end of the day.”
El-Sissi: Egypt ‘looks forward’ to working with Trump during his new term
President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi of Egypt has spoken with President-elect Donald Trump to congratulate him on his election, according to a statement from the Egyptian leader’s office.
El-Sissi has affirmed: “Egypt looks forward to completing the joint work with President Trump during his new term … in a way that benefits the Egyptian and American peoples and achieves stability, peace and development in the Middle East,” the statement said.
El-Sissi cultivated close ties with Trump during his previous term. He was the first foreign leader to congratulate Trump when he won 2016 elections.
UN chief commends voters for ‘their active participation in the democratic process’
U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres congratulated President-elect Donald Trump and said he stands ready “to work constructively with the incoming administration to address the dramatic challenges our world is facing.”
“I reaffirm my belief that the cooperation between the United States and the United Nations is an essential pillar of international relations,” the U.N. chief said in a statement.
Guterres also commended the American people “for their active participation in the democratic process.”
U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric, responding to questions from reporters on Wednesday, said during Trump’s previous administration four years ago, “the secretary-general had very good relations with the president.”
“The fact that they had different opinions about a number of issues was clear to all,” Dujarric said. “It did not stop the secretary-general from engaging with the United States government just as all previous secretary-generals have.”
Inside AP’s call for Donald Trump in Michigan
The candidates: Democrat Kamala Harris and Republican Donald Trump
Poll closing time: 8 p.m. and 9 p.m. ET Tuesday (two time zones)
Race called: 12:54 p.m. ET Wednesday
- Trump improved his margin in Detroit’s county and won overwhelmingly in Republican-leaning parts of the state
- Even if Harris had won 9 out of 10 of the ballots left to be counted she couldn’t have caught Trump at the time the race was called.
Harris discussed importance of a peaceful transfer of power with Trump during call
Vice President Kamala Harris called President-elect Donald Trump Wednesday to congratulate him on his election victory, a senior Harris aide said.
The person spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the call.
The aide said Harris discussed the importance of a peaceful transfer of power with Trump ahead of her planned concession speech Wednesday afternoon.
JUST IN: Harris called President-elect Trump on Wednesday to congratulate him on election victory, AP source says
By The Associated Press
Why didn’t Florida’s measures to protect abortion rights and legalize marijuana pass?
For months, Florida’s Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis railed against ballot measures that would have amended the state’s constitution to legalize marijuana and protect the right to an abortion up to viability — usually considered sometime after 21 weeks. He said they were poorly worded, confusing and would be impossible to repeal if written into the state’s constitution.
But a majority of voters cast ballots in support of them. So why didn’t they pass?
Two decades ago, Republican Gov. Jeb Bush successfully lobbied to make it harder for voters to amend the constitution by requiring them to earn 60% support on ballot measures. Both measures garnered over 50% of the vote, but fell shy of the required threshold.
The results indicate the issues are not cleanly partisan.
Trump won 56 percent of the vote, suggesting that his backers included voters who disagree with the GOP on abortion rights and those who support marijuana legalization.
Trump, perhaps the state’s most famous resident, also had a chance to weigh in. He said he voted against the measure expanding abortion rights. He did not say how he voted on the marijuana measure but has in the past said he supports legalization.
Trump completes ‘Blue Wall’ sweep, just as he did in 2016
With Donald Trump’s victory in Michigan, he completes a sweep of the Great Lakes “Blue Wall” states that Kamala Harris had considered her smoothest path to victory.
Trump managed the same sweep of Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania in 2016, when he defeated Hillary Clinton. President Joe Biden outpaced Trump in those states in 2020.
Unlike Clinton’s campaign in 2016, Harris campaigned heavily across the region through September and October. The vice president spent all day Sunday in Michigan, but she was unable to match Biden’s level of support, most notably in Wayne County, where Detroit offers a trove of Democratic votes.
Trump was active in the region, as well, and he improved on his 2020 margins across the three key states.
Why the AP called Michigan
By The Associated Press
Trump picked up another battleground state early Wednesday afternoon, winning Michigan to complete a sweep of the “Blue Wall” states in the Upper Midwest around the Great Lakes.
The race came down to the final results from Wayne County, where Harris wasn’t able to match Biden’s 2020 winning margin in the Democratic-dominated county that’s home to Detroit.
Macron and Trump spoke about Ukraine, Middle East during call
French President Emmanuel Macron had a “very good discussion” with Donald Trump about the world’s major crises during a 25-minute phone call, Macron’s office said.
Macron expressed his views on the “importance” for the U.S. to reckon with the European Union and both leaders had talks on Ukraine and the Middle East, Macron’s office said.
The French President said he was making himself available to continue to work with Trump on these issues and make efforts towards peace and stability, according to his office.
AP Race Call: Donald Trump wins Michigan
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Former President Donald Trump won Michigan on Wednesday, reclaiming the battleground state and its 15 electoral votes for the Republicans after Joe Biden flipped it in 2020 on his way to the White House. Trump won Michigan in 2016 by just over 10,000 votes, marking the first time a Republican presidential candidate had secured the state in nearly three decades. Trump’s Democratic opponent, Vice President Kamala Harris, faced concerns that discontent among Democrats in metro Detroit over the Biden administration’s handling of the Israel-Hamas war could jeopardize her campaign. The Associated Press declared Trump the winner at 12:54 p.m. EST.
Donald Trump’s election is historic — in more ways than one
By The Associated Press
Donald Trump’s election victory was history-making in several respects, even as his defeat of Vice President Kamala Harris prevented other firsts. She would have been the nation’s first Black and South Asian woman to be president.
- He’s the oldest to be elected
- It’s the second time someone has won two non-consecutive terms
- He is in line to become the first U.S. president with a felony conviction
- He’s been impeached (twice)
▶ Read more about how Trump’s election is historic
Nikki Haley calls Trump’s win ‘a great moment for democracy’
Former Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley, who became one of Trump’s more vocal challengers in the 2024 Republican primary before eventually endorsing him, said on her radio show Wednesday that he “defied gravity” with his win.
“He got through two assassination attempts. He got through two impeachments, he got through numerous indictments, and America still elected him because, at the end of the day, they knew what they were getting with Donald Trump. And that’s what they wanted to see,” she said.
Haley called it “a great moment for democracy.”
Voters in Amarillo, Texas, reject sweeping anti-abortion proposal
Voters in Amarillo, Texas, overwhelmingly rejected a sweeping anti-abortion proposal that would have essentially imposed a travel ban on those seeking abortions out of state by allowing civil lawsuits against anyone who assists them, even if it’s in another state.
Dubbed the “Sanctuary Cities for the Unborn” ordinance, the 18-page proposition was rejected by nearly 60% of voters.
Lindsay London, a local nurse who helped found a volunteer group opposing the effort, described the vote as a “defining win.”
“Amarillo is the first city in the nation to reject an abortion ban,” London said. “We hope to set the tone for not only the state but the nation, that we will not penalize anyone for seeking health care when they’re facing an extreme travel ban in their own state.”
The vote was the culmination of a yearlong effort by abortion opponents who tried unsuccessfully to get city leaders to approve the ordinance.
Netanyahu says he spoke with Trump on Wednesday
“The conversation was warm and cordial,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said in a statement. “The Prime Minister congratulated Trump on his election victory, and the two agreed to work together for Israel’s security. The two also discussed the Iranian threat.”
Netanyahu’s office said he was among the first world leaders to call Trump after his victory.
Trump has vowed to bring peace to the Middle East at a time when Israel is at war with Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon and has recently traded fire with Iran. The president-elect, who was a staunch supporter of Israel during his previous term, has not said how he will do it.
Trump and Prince Mohammed have spoken, Saudi Arabia’s foreign ministry says
Prince Mohammed “expressed — may God protect him — the kingdom’s aspiration to strengthen the historical and strategic relations between the two countries, wishing the friendly American people progress and prosperity under his excellency’s leadership,” a statement from the foreign ministry read.
Trump made his first foreign trip as president to Saudi Arabia. He stood by the kingdom, even as ties became strained over the killing of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi by Saudi operatives in Istanbul.
Some voters want less government say on vaccines, as Trump promises RFK Jr. big role
A contingent of U.S. voters signaled they want the government to be less involved in vaccinating children for diseases, according to AP VoteCast, an expansive survey of more than 120,000 voters nationwide.
In the final weeks of the campaign, President-elect Donald Trump had stepped up appearances with Robert F. Kennedy Jr., promising the vaccine skeptic free reign in his administration to investigate childhood diseases like obesity and autism. Kennedy has urged his followers to flout the U.S. government’s current vaccine recommendations for their children.
About 2 in 10 voters said they want less government involvement in childhood vaccinations. Of those voters, roughly 8 in 10 voted for Trump.
Harris to concede Wednesday afternoon
Vice President Kamala Harris will deliver a concession speech Wednesday at 4 p.m., her office announced.
Harris will speak at Howard University, her alma mater in Washington, where her supporters watched returns Tuesday night before being sent home after midnight as President-elect Donald Trump pulled ahead in battleground state results.
Senegal’s president congratulates Trump in post on X
President Bassirou Diomaye Faye added that he was committed to strengthening the cooperation between the United States and Senegal and to working together for peace, prosperity and respect for the values shared by the two countries.
Senegal is one of the main countries of origin of African migrants crossing the Mexico-U.S. border, with a growing number of young Senegalese choosing to migrate to the U.S. rather than face more dangerous routes to Europe via the Mediterranean Sea or the Atlantic Ocean.
U.S. authorities arrested 20,231 Senegalese migrants for crossing the border illegally from July to December last year, a 10-fold increase compared to the same period in 2022, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
CISA director: ‘No evidence of any malicious activity’ affecting the security, integrity of the election
By CHRISTINA CASSIDY
Jen Easterly, director of the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, on Wednesday praised the work of state and local election officials and the hundreds of thousands who served as poll workers on Election Day.
“As we have said repeatedly, our election infrastructure has never been more secure and the election community never better prepared to deliver safe, secure, free, and fair elections for the American people,” Easterly said. “This is what we saw yesterday in the peaceful and secure exercise of democracy.”
The nation’s capital — and its construction workers — are already preparing for a transfer of power
For all of the heady talk of democracy and the peaceful transfer of power from one administration to the next, a presidential transition also involves things that are less conceptual — and more mundane.
That includes construction of all the temporary structures for the presidential inauguration.
In front of the White House, workers had fenced a section of Pennsylvania Avenue and Lafayette Park as they constructed the Presidential Inaugural Parade Reviewing Stands. The temporary pavilion is where Trump and his family will take in the parade as it winds in front of the White House on Jan. 20.
On the National Mall, work has also begun on the inauguration platform, from where Trump will be sworn into office and address the nation. Nearly four years ago, on Jan. 6, Trump supporters rushed the Capitol and used pieces of the half-built structure to attack police officers. Workers on the site had to flee.
This year, members of Congress from both sides of the aisle gathered in September to drive the first nails for the structures, symbolizing the unity they aspired to forge amidst a divisive presidential campaign.
Harris campaign invites supporters to a post-election event at Howard University
“We invite you to join the Harris-Walz campaign for an event with Vice President Kamala Harris today at Howard University in Washington, D.C.,” read the text. “Doors will open at 1:00 PM.”
Harris was scheduled to speak at Howard on Tuesday night and the atmosphere at the event was jubilant as initial results rolled in. As the night dragged on and it became clear that Harris would not defeat Trump, her supporters grew dour.
Cedric Richmond, Harris’ campaign co-chair, then told the audience they “won’t hear from the vice president tonight.”
In Melania Trump’s hometown, there is a cake named in her honor
In Melania Trump’s hometown in Slovenia, locals are proud that one of their own will once again become the U.S. first lady.
Donald Trump’s victory in the U.S. presidential election has been followed closely in Sevnica, a town nestled in a valley by the Sava river where Melania Trump grew up under Communism as Melanija Knavs.
“We are very proud that Mrs. Melanija has become the first lady again, that she will perform her role with honor and dignity, just like in the previous mandate,” Sevnica mayor Srecko Cvirk said.
Sevnica previously — and proudly — advertised itself as Melania Trump’s hometown, so much so that a local party shop created a cake in her name eight years ago.
The “Melanija” is made of green nuts, caramel, almond cream and white chocolate mousse.
“It is white because of the White House,” said the shop’s manager, Franja Kranjc.
Former President Bush congratulates Trump
In a statement, former President George W. Bush said he and his wife, Laura, “join our fellow citizens in praying for the success of our new leaders at all levels of government.”
Some top former Republican officials, including Bush’s vice president, Dick Cheney, had endorsed Harris. But Bush remained neutral.
Bush also thanked “President Biden and Vice President Harris for their service to our country.”
“The strong turnout in this election is a sign of the health of our republic and the strength of our democratic institutions,” said Bush, who called the election a “free, fair, safe, and secure election.”
Donald Trump’s transition starts now. Here’s how it will work
Donald Trump‘s impending return to the White House means he’ll want to stand up an entirely new administration from the one that served under President Joe Biden. His team is also pledging that the second won’t look much like the first one Trump established after his 2016 victory.
The president-elect now has a 75-day transition period to build out his team before Inauguration Day arrives on Jan. 20. One top item on the to-do list: filling around 4,000 government positions with political appointees, people specifically tapped for their jobs by Trump’s team.
That includes everyone from the secretary of state and other heads of Cabinet departments to those selected to serve part-time on boards and commissions. Around 1,200 of those presidential appointments require Senate confirmation, which should be easier with the Senate now shifting to Republican control.
▶ Read more on what to expect
How do the 2024 numbers compare to 2020?
President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris received a record of over 80 million votes to win the White House in 2020. They beat Donald Trump and Mike Pence, who received over 74 million votes.
This year so far, the Democratic ticket has received only 66 million.
Meanwhile, Trump and Vance have received over 71 million votes as of Wednesday morning.
In 2020, Biden and Harris won the majority of the Electoral College with 306 votes, the identical margin Trump won back in 2016. This year, Trump clinched the nomination with 277 electoral votes, with 37 votes still up for grabs.
WATCH: UK Prime Minister congratulates Trump on election win, while some London residents express concerns
Keir Starmer on Wednesday congratulated Donald Trump on what he called an “historic election victory.” Meanwhile, in London, some residents were concerned about Trump’s victory.
Morocco’s king calls Trump’s win ‘a tribute to his patriotism’
By The Associated Press
Morocco’s King Mohammed VI on Wednesday expressed “sincere congratulations” and “best wishes” to President-elect Donald Trump, referencing the latter’s 2020 decision to back Morocco’s stance in the disputed Western Sahara.
“Mr. Trump’s resounding success in these elections is a tribute to his patriotism and rewards his commitment to upholding the best interests of the United States,” the king wrote in a letter published by the state press agency, MAP.
The 61-year-old monarch said Moroccans were grateful for Trump’s move to shift the United States’ longstanding position in the Western Sahara, a disputed territory that Morocco considers its southern provinces and the United Nations considers “non-self-governing.”
He added that Morocco — which normalized relations with Israel as part of the 2020 Abraham Accords — was committed to allying with the United States to address “increasingly complex regional and global challenges.”
Morocco hopes Trump follows through on the State Department’s yet-to-be-fulfilled 2020 commitment to build a consulate in the disputed territory.
US stock market and bitcoin surge on Trump’s return to office
Investors are betting on what Trump’s return to the White House will mean for the economy and the world.
The Dow jumped 1,200 points, or 2.8% early Wednesday and major stocks including Elon Musk’s Tesla and bitcoin soared.
Trump Media & Technology Group, the company behind the Truth Social platform, also surged.
Where were abortion restrictions upheld?
In South Dakota, voters rejected a measure that would have permitted abortion in the first three months of pregnancy.
In Nebraska, voters enshrined the state’s current 12-week ban in the constitution.
In Florida, voters cast their ballots in favor of a measure that would have overturned the state’s ban on abortions after six weeks and would have allowed them up until viability. However, the measure did not reach the 60% threshold and failed.
Where did voters solidify abortion access and reproductive rights?
In Montana, where state courts have blocked lawmakers’ efforts to restrict abortion rights, voters wrote abortion protections into the state constitution, codifying the right to an abortion up to viability. Though there’s no defined time frame, doctors say viability is sometime after 21 weeks. The constitutional amendment is meant to safeguard against future efforts to restrict abortion rights.
Colorado, Nevada and Maryland already had laws on the books protecting abortion access, but voters there backed measures to enshrine the right in their state constitutions.
New York voters backed a reproductive rights measure that would bar unequal treatment based on “pregnancy outcomes” and “reproductive healthcare and autonomy,” along with sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin and disability.
Where were abortion rights expanded?
Missouri voters overturned one of the nation’s strictest abortion bans, backing a constitutional amendment that protects abortion rights at all stages until the fetus is considered viable — usually considered after 21 weeks, although there’s no exact time frame.
Voters in Arizona, which had a ban on abortion after 15 weeks, backed a state constitutional amendment that will also protect the right to an abortion up to viability.
PHOTOS: The world reacts to Trump’s comeback
The scene at Howard, the morning after
By The Associated Press
Hours after Kamala Harris’ campaign co-chair told the assembled crowd at her election night party that the vice president would not be giving a speech, the Howard University campus was largely quiet.
WATCH: Palestinians in the West Bank give their verdict on US elections
Palestinians in the West Bank give their verdict on US elections
Bolsonaro hopes Brazil will ‘follow the same path’ following Trump’s win
Brazil’s far-right former President Jair Bolsonaro said on the social platform X that Trump’s imminent return to the White House marked “the triumph of the people’s will over the arrogant designs of an elite who disdain our values, beliefs, and traditions.”
He said Trump’s victory was historic and would empower right-wing and conservative movements across the globe, and he hoped it would inspire Brazil to “follow the same path.”
Bolsonaro lost his reelection bid in late 2022 and a little over two months later, his supporters stormed the capital in a bid to restore him to power. It was widely seen as an echo of the U.S. Capitol insurrection two years earlier, and Bolsonaro is now the target of several investigations.
What could Trump’s win mean for Europe?
Dozens of European leaders will be assessing a new global outlook during a one-day summit in Hungary’s capital on Thursday, with the knowledge that the election of Donald Trump as the next U.S. president could have far-reaching consequences for the continent.
Despite myriad economic problems and two wars in the neighborhood, all eyes will be glued on Washington to see whether Trump’s return will cause political strife throughout the continent, much like his first presidency did.
▶ Read more about how trans-Atlantic economic relations might change
What are Trump’s plans for a second administration?
Donald Trump has promised sweeping action in a second administration.
The former president and now president-elect often skipped over details but through more than a year of policy pronouncements and written statements outlined a wide-ranging agenda that blends traditional conservative approaches to taxes, regulation and cultural issues with a more populist bent on trade and a shift in America’s international role.
Trump’s agenda also would scale back federal government efforts on civil rights and expand presidential powers.
▶ Read more about Trump’s proposed policies
Norwegian group: Trump’s election means US ‘will no longer be a driving force’ in climate fight
Norwegian Bellona environmental group said that “with the election of Donald Trump, the United States will no longer be a driving force globally to reach the 1.5 Celsius target,” referencing the international goal of trying to limit future warming since preindustrial times.
The outcome means the European Union “must take the global leadership role in the climate fight, and to a significantly greater extent ensure the defense of Europe’s strategic interests,” the group said.
“The EU will now become significantly more important for climate, technology development and restructuring in the next four years,” Frederic Hauge, founder of the Oslo-based organization, said in a statement.
On Ukraine’s front and in Kyiv, hope and pragmatism compete when it comes to Trump’s election
Soldiers in a Ukrainian artillery battery on the front lines of the country’s east were only vaguely aware of American election results pointing to Donald Trump’s victory Wednesday — but firm in their hopes for the next president of the United States.
Their entrenched artillery battery fires on Russian forces daily — and takes fire nearly as often. Just the other day, one of their overhead nets snared a Russian drone.
“I hope that the quantity of weapons, the quantity of guns for our victory will increase,” the unit’s 39-year-old commander, who goes by the name Mozart, said in the hours before Trump’s win was confirmed. “We don’t care who is the president, as long as they don’t cut us off from help, because we need it.”
Though Trump’s election throws into doubt American support for Ukraine — and ultimately whether Kyiv can beat back Russia’s invasion — the soldiers who use their Starlink connection to the internet sparingly learned of the results from Associated Press journalists.
▶ Read more about the response in Ukraine to Trump’s victory
WATCH: Trump claims a ‘powerful mandate’ in election night speech, calls for the nation to ‘unite’
Addressing his supporters from his Election night watch party in Florida, Donald Trump claimed an “unprecedented and powerful mandate” in the 2024 contest and called on the nation to “unite” and put divisions behind.
Trudeau says friendship between Canada and US ‘is the envy of the world’
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau congratulated Trump in a post on the social platform X and included a picture of the two of them in the White House during the president-elect’s first term.
“The friendship between Canada and the U.S. is the envy of the world. I know President Trump and I will work together to create more opportunity, prosperity, and security for both of our nations,” Trudeau posted.
Trump as president called Trudeau “weak” and “dishonest” and attacked Canada’s vital trade. He threatened tariffs on cars and imposed them on steel. The unprecedented tone against one of Washington’s closest allies left a bitter taste, and most Canadians were relieved that Trump was defeated in 2020.
