Harris concedes to Trump

Biden: Harris oversaw a “historic campaign” in “commonplace circumstances.”.

Harnik, Andrew | Getty Images.

In a White House statement released today, Biden praised Harris, describing her as “a tremendous partner and public servant” who will remain “a champion for all Americans” and a leader who “puts her stamp on America’s future.”. “”.

“She stepped up and led a historic campaign under extraordinary circumstances that embodied what’s possible when guided by a strong moral compass and a clear vision for a nation that is more free, more just, and full of more opportunities for all Americans,” President Biden said in the statement.

When I was announced as the 2020 presidential nominee, my first choice was to choose Kamala, as I have stated previously. “It was the best choice I ever made,” the statement said.

— Ece Yildirim.

Florida Sen. According to Rick Scott, he is a candidate for the GOP Senate majority.

Reuters/Anna Rose Layden.

Sen. Florida’s Rick Scott is vying to be the majority leader of the Republican Senate.

Scott shared a video of an interview he did with Fox Business on X on Wednesday, saying, “My Republican colleagues know I’ve got a great working relationship with Trump, with Speaker Mike Johnson.”. I’m a businessman, and they know it. Businessmen accomplish our goals, develop a plan, and carry it out. “.”.

Before entering the Senate, Scott served as the CEO of a health care company. He defeated Democrat Debbie Mucarsel-Powell in the 2024 Florida reelection race.

“I’ll be the next majority leader because that’s exactly what we want in the Senate,” Scott declared. “We will accomplish Trump’s agenda. “.”.

Scott declared in May that he would run to replace Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell when he steps down later this year.

Yildirim Ece.

Trump talks with orban of Hungary, Modi of India, and Zelenskyy of Ukraine.

Reuters/Shannon Stapleton.

In a post on X, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy congratulated Trump on his call on Wednesday and praised the president-elect’s campaign, family, and team “for their great work.”.

As Republicans in Congress looked into the Ukrainian president’s trip to Pennsylvania, alleging it was made to campaign for Harris, Trump accused Zelenskyy of insulting him in September, making their relationship appear to be deteriorating.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Hungarian Prime Minister and longtime ally Viktor Orban also called Trump.

Yildirim Ece.

Governor of California. In his latest X post, Newsom highlights states’ rights.

Reuters | Marco Bello.

After Harris’ concession speech on Wednesday night, California Governor Gavin Newsom had a post on X that highlighted the roles of individual states.

“We intend to stand with states across our nation to defend our Constitution and uphold the rule of law, but California will be working with the incoming president,” Newsom stated. “The foundation of our democracy is federalism. The United States of America is the country. “.”.

Harris was praised by Newsom for advocating for “working families, decency, and opportunity,” saying the election was “not the outcome we wanted.”. “.”.

— Haddad, CJ.

Contact was made by the White House to the Trump-Vance Transition Team.

Dietsch, Kevin | Getty Images.

The Biden Administration’s intention to lead a smooth transition process was communicated to Trump-Vance Transition Co-Chairs Linda McMahon and Howard Lutnick, the CEO of Cantor Fitzgerald, by White House Chief of Staff Jeff Zients, a White House official told NBC News.

Although an agreement between the Trump transition team and the General Services Administration to guarantee access to information and services has not yet been reached, the White House emphasized that it is prepared to offer immediate access.

— Yildirim Ece.

The global pandemic presents challenges for Democratic incumbents, which Obama blames for Harris’ defeat.

CQ-Roll Call, Inc. | Tom Williams. Getty Images.

In a statement issued Wednesday, Barack and Michelle Obama blamed Harris’ defeat on “solvable” global pandemic headwinds.

According to the statement, “America has been through a lot over the last few years — from a historic pandemic and price hikes following the pandemic, to rapid change and the feeling a lot of folks have that, no matter how hard they work, treading water is the best they can do,” as I stated during the campaign trail. “Those circumstances have posed challenges for democratic incumbents globally, and last night demonstrated that America is not exempt.”. “”.

The Obamas also congratulated Trump and Vance on their win, stressing the significance of upholding “the fundamental democratic norms and constitutional principles that made this nation great.”. “”.

“Considering our deep differences with the Republican ticket on a wide range of issues, this is clearly not the result we had hoped for,” the Obamas said in the statement. However, being a citizen of a democracy means accepting the peaceful transition of power and acknowledging that our viewpoint won’t always prevail. “.”.

— Ece Yildirim.

Bernie Sanders attacks the Democratic Party following Harris’ defeat.

Reuters | Mike Segar.

Sen. In a post on X on Wednesday, Bernie Sanders attacked the Democratic Party following Harris’ defeat by Trump.

Sanders, who backed Harris, stated, “It should not be shocking that a Democratic Party that has abandoned working class people would discover that the working class has abandoned them.”. The American people are upset and demand change, despite the Democratic leadership’s defense of the status quo. They’re correct. “.”.

Rozzelle, Josephine.

Before departing in January, Biden is instructed by Simone Biles to “make some things shake.”.

| Reuters | Kevin Lamarque.

In a post on X on Wednesday afternoon, Olympic gymnastics champion Simone Biles urged President Joe Biden to act during the last few months of his administration prior to Trump’s inauguration.

Mr. Before you leave, Biden, I need you to get up, straighten your back, and make some things shake,” Biles wrote. The American women, xoxo. “”.

Haddad, C.J.

According to Harris, she will never stop advocating for reproductive rights.

Getty Images | AFP | Mandel Ngan.

Harris made a concession speech at Howard University on Wednesday, saying, “While I concede this election, I do not concede the fight that fueled this campaign.”.

“I will never stop fighting for a future in which Americans can follow their goals and aspirations and where American women are free to make choices regarding their bodies without interference from their government.”. “.”.

Yildirim, Ece.

Harris’s concession speech includes a thank you to her family, Walzes, and Bidens.

Getty Images | AFP | Mandel Ngan.

During her Howard University concession speech, Harris declared, “I love you so much, my dear Doug and our family.”. “Thank you for your faith and support, President and Dr. Biden. I am confident that Governor Walz and the Walz family will continue to serve our country. “”.

And to my outstanding group. I want to express my gratitude to the poll workers, local election officials, and the volunteers who gave so much of themselves. Harris remarked, “Thank you all.”.

“The race we ran and the way we ran it made me very proud,” she remarked.

Josephine Rozzelle.

The government should “stand with the working class,” according to UAW President Shawn Fain.

| Reuters | Elizabeth Frantz.

Following Trump’s victory, United Auto Workers President Shawn Fain, who had supported Harris, issued a statement urging the new administration to support workers.

“The question we face today and tomorrow is whether our government will support the working class or continue to follow the billionaires’ wishes. We hold the key to the answer. regardless of the current administration,” Fain wrote in a statement.

The statement read, “We have always stated that our fight is the same regardless of who is in the White House.”.

Yildirim Ece.

Trump is congratulated by Pence, who says, “The American people have spoken.”.

Reuters | Steve Marcus.

In an X post on Wednesday afternoon, former Vice President Mike Pence congratulated Trump and JD Vance, stating that “the American people have spoken.”. “”.

The 47th President of the United States, Donald Trump, was elected, and Karen and I congratulated him and his family on his victory, he said. We also congratulate J, the vice president-elect. A. Vance and his family on being elected as the US vice president. “.”.

In March 2023, Pence declared he would not support his former boss, Trump, after withdrawing his own presidential bid in October 2023.

— Rozzelle, Josephine.

As the markets rally toward the close, Harris makes his concession speech at Howard University.

Reuters| Mike Blake.

After arriving at Howard University, Harris will soon give a concession speech to the country.

Meanwhile, as key benchmarks reached all-time highs, markets saw a strong rally before closing today. For the first time since November 2022, the Dow Jones Industrial Average experienced a one-day jump of over 1,000 points.

— Ece Yildirim.

NY Gov. Hochul congratulates Trump on his victory and vows to defend the rights of New Yorkers.

Bryan R. Dot Smith | Getty Images | Afp.

New York Gov. On Wednesday, Kathy Hochul congratulated Trump on winning the election and pledged to do everything within her power to ensure that the state “remains a bastion for freedom and rule of law.”. “”.

Hochul stated, “I will be perfectly clear.”. While we respect the outcome of this election and are willing to collaborate with anyone who wishes to support our administration and state’s objectives, we will not support a Washington agenda that denies New Yorkers the rights they have long enjoyed. “”.

According to Hochul, she founded the Empire State Freedom Initiative with the goal of identifying potential dangers to the domains of environmental justice, civil rights, immigration, gun safety, labor rights, LGBTQ rights, reproductive rights, and civil rights. She identified those concerns as “key areas that are most likely to face threats from the Trump administration.”. “”.

“This will involve appropriations, rulemaking, legislation, and collaborations with our congressional delegation, including the Biden administration at this time,” Hochul stated.

NBC News contacted the state for Harris last night, and New York is a consistently blue state.

Yildirim Ece.

The Michigan Senate race is conceded to Democrat Slotkin by Republican Rogers.

Cq-roll Call, Inc. | Tom Williams. | The Getty Images.

Republican former Rep. Democratic Rep. Mike Rogers won the Michigan Senate race. on Wednesday, Elissa Slotkin. Rogers called the congresswoman to beg for forgiveness, according to a Slotkin campaign spokesperson.

As she represents the people of Michigan in the Senate, Rogers wrote in a statement, “Congratulations to Congresswoman Slotkin on her victory, I wish her the best.”. Despite not being in the U.S. A. I’m serving in the Senate at the moment and will be doing so for some time to come. “”.

For NBC News, the race remains too close to call.

Yildirim, Ece.

Eric Adams, Mayor of New York City, congratulates President Trump.

Gardiner Anderson | Getty Images | Tribune News Service | New York Daily News.

Eric Adams, the mayor of New York City, congratulated Trump on his win on Wednesday and expressed his wish for the president-elect and JD Vance to “work to promote the interests of the American people.”. “”.

“Our main team will work with the incoming administration for the good of all New Yorkers,” Adams stated while addressing the crowd at New York City Hall, the nation’s largest city.

Adams confirmed that the city’s residents and those visiting for medical treatment will have access to abortions and that women’s reproductive rights are protected. The city, he claimed, is dedicated to the demands of immigrants, women, and the LGBTQ community. Adams added that while he will collaborate with the administration and Congress to “create a practical and humane national strategy” for the immigration system, New York City will “always remain a city of immigrants.”. “”.

As he faces a federal indictment, Trump has shown sympathy for Adams, and during his rally in Madison sq\. Garden, the president-elect gave the mayor praise.

At the October Al Smith charity dinner, Trump told Adams, “They went after you, mayor,” according to Axios. “But you’re going to win,” Trump continued, and he wished Adams well.

Despite his endorsement of Harris, Adams chose not to deny Trump’s support during the October dinner. Adams also resisted accusations that Trump was a fascist, which were propagated by the Harris campaign and many Democratic supporters, and refrained from denouncing the former president.

Julie Coleman.

In close Senate races, Democrats Slotkin and Gallego are hopeful.

Reuters, Rebecca Cook.

Representative from Michigan, a Democrat. Pointing to her roughly 19,000 vote lead, Elissa Slotkin stated today that she is “confident” that she will be the senator-elect for Michigan “by the end of the day” when the votes are counted. Since the race is too close to call, NBC News hasn’t yet predicted a winner.

Slotkin also discussed Trump’s victory in her remarks. “It is my responsibility to get things done for Michiganders no matter who is in office, just as I did in President Trump’s first term,” Slotkin stated, highlighting the fact that tens of thousands of Michiganders cast ballots for both Elissa Slotkin and Donald Trump on the same ballot.

Democratic Representative from Arizona. Additionally, Ruben Gallego expressed his optimism in a post on X. In the Arizona Senate race, Gallego is facing off against Republican Kari Lake. NBC News has yet to make a call, but Gallego leads Lake by a small margin in the ballots that have been counted thus far.

— Ece Yildirim.

Biden invites Trump to the White House and congratulates him on his victory.

Reuters.

According to the White House, Biden called Trump to congratulate him on his victory.

During the call, Biden emphasized the value of “working to bring the country together” and pledged to ensure a seamless handover of power. “.”.

In addition, the president extended an invitation to Trump to visit the White House. In the near future, staff will arrange a precise date for that meeting.

In another call, Biden congratulated Harris on her campaign. Tomorrow, he is scheduled to give remarks regarding the election results and the transition process.

— Constantino, Annika Kim.

“The work of protecting America from the impacts of a Trump Presidency starts now,” stated the chair of the Harris campaign.

Blake, Mike | Reuters.

In a memo obtained by NBC News, Jen O’Malley Dillon, the chair of the Harris campaign, expressed gratitude to campaign staff and stated that the vice president’s defeat is “the beginning, not the end.”. “.”.

“You gave the field everything you had. You essentially created a historic and excellent presidential campaign in ninety days,” she wrote. “You overcame obstacles that no one has ever faced and probably won’t face again. You faced previously unheard-of challenges and headwinds that were mostly beyond our control. “”.

Harris and Walz will hold an all-staff call after Harris’ speech this afternoon, according to O’Malley Dillon.

It is incomprehensibly painful to lose. She said, “It’s difficult.”. Processing this will take a long time. However, the effort to safeguard America against the effects of a Trump presidency must begin immediately. I’m confident that the vice president isn’t done fighting, and that the individuals on this email will also be leading this group effort. “.”.

It was Josephine Rozzelle.

Harris is commended by Cardi B for her “inspiring” run for president as a woman of color.

Getty Images | Kyle Mazza | Anadolu.

Rapper Cardi B expressed gratitude to Harris for her “inspiring” presidential campaign, stating that it demonstrated to her, her daughters, and women nationwide “that anything is possible.”. “”.

Harris would have been the first Asian American and female president, and the first Black woman elected vice president. During a rally in Milwaukee last week, the singer of “Bodak Yellow” also offered her support to Harris.

In an X post, the rapper wrote, “To Vice President Kamala, no matter what they’ve said to bring you down or belittle your run for presidency they can never say you didn’t run your race with honesty and integrity!” She also said that she never imagined seeing a woman of color run for president.

She wrote, “I appreciate you being a role model, being empowered, and being a true representation of what the American dream ought to be.”.

Christina Kim Constantino.

A number of firsts in the history of the 2024 election.

Reuters/Megan Jelinger.

The results of yesterday’s elections have already produced some historic firsts, even though votes are still being counted in many races across the nation.

State Senator from Delaware. The state’s sole House seat went to Sarah McBride, who became the first openly transgender person elected to Congress. John Whalen III, a Republican, lost to her.

Last night, McBride stated, “Tonight is a testament to Delawareans that here in our state of neighbors, we judge candidates based on their ideas and not their identities.”.

For the first time, two Black women will hold concurrent Senate seats. Maryland’s Senate seat went to Democrat Angela Alsobrooks, while Democratic Rep. The winner in Delaware was Lisa Blunt Rochester. In the Senate, both will be the first Black women to represent those states.

Alsobrooks overthrew the GOP’s former governor. Larry Hogan. . Blunt Rochester defeated Eric Hansen, a Republican candidate. Three other Black women have served in the Senate, including Vice President Kamala Harris, Sen. D-Calif Laphonza Butler. , and former Sen. Carol Moseley Braun, D-Ill.

Additionally, Democratic Rep. Andy Kim defeated Republican Curtis Bashaw in the Senate race in New Jersey, making him the first Korean American senator. Republican Bernie Moreno will be the first person of color to represent Ohio in the Senate. Moreno defeated Senate Banking Chair Sherrod Brown, a Democratic three-term incumbent.

— Ashley Capoot.

Saudi Crown Prince Bin Salman congratulates Trump in phone call.

Nathan Howard | Reuters.

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman called Trump to congratulate him on winning the election and said he is eager to strengthen ties between the nations, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia posted on X.

During his first term, the president-elect maintained a particularly close relationship with Saudi Arabia. Trump visited Saudi Arabia for the first time and, in spite of congressional protests, signed significant arms agreements with the kingdom.

Yildirim, Ece.

Healthcare stocks fluctuated following Trump’s victory.

Ninivaggi Faith | Reuters.

In the healthcare industry, Trump’s win brought about both new winners and losers.

A Trump administration may offer significant regulatory benefits, which caused shares of insurance companies that offer Medicare Advantage plans, including CVS Health, UnitedHealth Group, and Humana, to soar. Medicare contracts with a privately operated health insurance program called Medicare Advantage.

Humana’s stock increased 10% on Wednesday, while CVS shares increased more than 11%. Wednesday morning, both businesses released their third-quarter earnings. The stock of UnitedHealth Group, meanwhile, increased by over 5%.

Investors and insurers were disappointed by the Medicare reimbursement rates that the Biden administration announced earlier this year. This occurred as healthcare providers struggled to keep up with the rising medical expenses of older adults covered by Medicare Advantage plans.

Republicans are thought to be more inclined to cut Medicaid, which could be detrimental to businesses that depend on those programs. The stock of Centene, a major Medicaid operator, fell by almost 4%.

— Annika Kim Constantino.

Sen. Baldwin wins Wisconsin in closely watched race.

Reuters | Daniel Steinle.

current Democratic Senator. In one of the most closely watched Senate contests, NBC News predicts that Wisconsin’s Tammy Baldwin will defeat Republican opponent Eric Hovde.

Polls had shown Baldwin and Hovde in a dead heat, and Republicans had hoped to flip control of a seat in the battleground state.

In the final weeks of the crucial Senate race, Hovde, a multimillionaire businessman, had become hostile, attacking Baldwin’s partner, Maria Brisbane, and focusing on her sexual orientation.

Annie Nova.

To congratulate Trump, Harris gives him a call.

According to a senior vice presidential aide who spoke to NBC News, Harris called Trump to congratulate him on his electoral victory.

The aide stated that Harris in the call stressed the need for Trump to be president for all Americans and talked about the significance of a peaceful transition of power.

It is anticipated that Harris will make a statement this afternoon at Howard University.

The president-elect praised Harris for her “strength, professionalism, and tenacity throughout the campaign, and both leaders agreed on the importance of unifying the country,” According to Steven Cheung, the campaign’s communications director, who later confirmed the call on behalf of Trump’s campaign.

— Breuninger, Kevin.

How to close the criminal cases against Trump is being assessed by the Justice Department.

Uzcategui, Eva Marie | Getty Images | Bloomberg.

Two people familiar with the situation told NBC News that Justice Department officials are assessing how to conclude Trump’s two federal criminal cases prior to the president-elect taking office.

In addition to a previously dismissed case involving classified documents that was being appealed, Trump is facing a federal election interference case.

According to the sources, department officials see no use in pursuing legal action in the weeks leading up to Trump’s inauguration. The action is taken in accordance with the DOJ’s longstanding policy that a sitting president cannot be prosecuted.

According to people who spoke to NBC, special counsel Jack Smith, whose team is bringing charges against Trump, will have the final say in how to conclude the investigations.

— Ece Yildirim.

E. Jean Carroll gives a succinct statement after Trump’s win.

Adam Gray (Reuters).

E. Following NBC News’ prediction that Trump would win the U.S. election, Jean Carroll wrote on X Wednesday, “I tried to tell you.”. S. election for president.

Trump was sued twice for defaming the author after she came forward with a public accusation that he had sexually assaulted her in a dressing room at a department store in Manhattan in the mid-1990s. In those cases, juries found Carroll liable for sexually abusing the writer and awarded him a total of $88.3 million in damages.

These cases were filed in Manhattan federal court, and Trump is appealing the verdicts.

— Capoot, Ashley.

Under Trump, the oil market’s future remains uncertain.

Check it out now.

U. S. . Oil producers anticipate that Trump will loosen restrictions on the production of crude oil, which will increase supply and, in turn, drive down prices.

However, it isn’t that simple. Trump has also promised to impose additional sanctions on Venezuelan and Iranian oil, which could tighten the global market and raise prices.

The market’s longer-term outlook is decidedly mixed, though, as Trump’s increased likelihood of trade wars could slow oil demand and slow global economic growth.

“Federal lands would receive 25 percent of each barrel of revenue if the Trump administration opened up federal leases for gas and oil. Cole Smead, the president and CEO of Smead Capital, stated, “You will have a lot of trouble finding an oil company that can make money at $52 to $50 per barrel with what they have left over from a $70 barrel.”. Drill baby drill will only occur if oil prices rise in light of these margins. “”.

The rest of the story can be found here.

— Turak Natasha.

In Michigan, Trump is expected to win.

Getty Images | AFP | Jim Watson.

Michigan is one of the most fiercely contested swing states in this election, and NBC News predicts that Trump will win the state’s 15 Electoral College votes.

NBC has already predicted that Trump will win the presidency, and Michigan was seen as one of the crucial battleground states. During their campaigns, Trump and Harris both made multiple trips to Michigan.

In the 2020 election, Biden won Michigan. In 2016, Trump defeated Hillary Clinton, the Democratic nominee at the time, in Michigan by the narrowest margin of any state in terms of popular vote, by just 0.2 percent.

Picciotto, Rebecca, and Capoot, Ashley.

Mortgage rates surge higher on Trump victory, causing housing stocks to fall.

Brian Cassella | Getty Images | Tribune News Service.

Following Trump’s victory, the U.S. A. yield on the 10-year Treasury bond. In addition, mortgage rates—which roughly correspond to the benchmark yield—are rising.

According to Mortgage News Daily, the 30-year fixed mortgage’s average rate increased 9 basis points to 7.33% on Wednesday. Although it is not quite the spike that some had anticipated, that rate is the highest since July 1 of this year.

In response, housing stocks saw a steep decline in both the large publicly traded builders and building material companies.

To read the remainder of this story, click here.

Diana Olick.

Tech CEOs Altman, Zuckerberg, Bezos, and others congratulate Trump.

Getty Images | Chris Ratcliffe | Bloomberg.

CEOs of popular startups and prominent tech companies alike poured onto social media on Wednesday to congratulate Trump on his victory.

Microsoft’s Satya Nadella, Apple’s Tim Cook, Alphabet’s Sundar Pichai, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, Amazon CEO Andy Jassy, Dell’s Michael Dell, Box’s Aaron Levie, and OpenAI’s Sam Altman all left well wishes on X, the social media platform owned by Elon Musk, while Mark Zuckerberg of Meta posted on Threads, Meta’s rival to X.

Pichai wrote, “We are dedicated to collaborating with his administration to help bring the benefits to everyone, as we live in a golden age of American innovation.”. “”.

Bezos called Trump’s win an “extraordinary political comeback and decisive victory,” and Jassy wrote, “We look forward to working with you and your administration on issues important to our customers, employees, communities, and country. ”.

Altman, leader of the startup behind ChatGPT, wrote, “i wish for his huge success in the job,” adding that “it is critically important that the US maintains its lead in developing AI with democratic values. ”.

Hayden Field.

McConnell: It’s “gratifying” that the Republican Senate majority was secured through filibustering.

Getty Images | AFP | Mandel Ngan.

During a press conference on Wednesday, Republican Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell declared that the filibuster is safe and that the party’s Senate majority will assist in “controlling the guardrails.”. ”.

“I think one of the most gratifying results of the Senate becoming a Republican, the filibuster will stand,” McConnell said. “There won’t be any new states admitted that give a partisan advantage to the other side, and we’ll quit beating up the Supreme Court every time we don’t like the decision they make. “.”.

Additionally, McConnell stated that he intends to focus on foreign and defense policy, stating that U. S. . His list of adversaries includes Russia, China, Iran, and Iran’s proxies. He claims that these countries “are all talking to each other” and that they “have one thing in common: They hate us, and they want to downplay our role in the world.”. ”.

“I think this is the most dangerous time since right before World War II,” McConnell said. He added that his focus over the “next couple of years” will be ramping up defense spending, as “it’s a lot cheaper to prevent a war than it is to have one. ”.

In response to a question about his takeaway from last night, McConnell said that “candidate quality is essential. ”.

— Hayden Field.

RFK Jr. says vaccines should be a ‘choice,’ won’t pull any shots from the market.

Thomas Machowicz | Reuters.

The Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. , a prominent vaccine skeptic, said vaccination should be a “choice” and that he won’t pull any shots from the U. S. market.

Trump has promised to give Kennedy a major health role in his administration, raising concerns among health experts.

“If vaccines are working for somebody, I’m not going to take them away,” Kennedy said in an interview with NBC News today. “People ought to have choice and actually want to be informed by the best information. ”.

Kennedy said he will ensure that scientific safety and efficacy studies are available so people can make “individual assessments about whether that product” is right for them.

Kennedy has repeatedly pushed misleading and false information about vaccines, such as claiming they are linked to autism despite numerous studies going back decades that debunk the association.

— Annika Kim Constantino.

President-elect Nikki Haley, a former Trump critic who is now an ally, congratulates him on his “strong win.”.

Andrew Caballero-Reynolds | AFP | Getty Images.

Nikki Haley congratulated Trump on his “strong win” in an X post following his decisive victory against Harris.

“The American people have spoken,” said Haley. “Now, it’s time for the American people to come together, pray for our country, and start the process of a peaceful transition. That begins with Kamala Harris conceding. You can’t just talk about unity in a campaign, you have to show it regardless of the outcome. “”.

Haley endorsed Trump after withdrawing from the race, despite being a harsh critic of him during her unsuccessful attempt to become the Republican nominee.

— Fonrouge Gabrielle.

George, W. Bush says a healthy republic is indicated by a high election turnout and congratulates Trump.

Getty Images | Richard Rodriguez.

Former President George W.

“The strong turnout in this election is a sign of the health of our republic and the strength of our democratic institutions,” Bush wrote in the statement, posted on X. “Laura and I are grateful to the election officials, poll workers, and volunteers who oversaw a free, fair, safe, and secure election. ”.

Bush added he’s “praying for the success of our new leaders at all levels of government. ”.

— Gabrielle Fonrouge.

Tesla rises on the heels of Trump victory.

The Washington Post | The Washington Post | Getty Images.

Tesla shares popped 13 percent during Wednesday’s trading session following Trump’s election win, as investors are betting that a second term would benefit CEO Elon Musk.

While shares have risen more than 14 percent this year, they’ve still underperformed the broader market in year-to-date gains, with the SandP 500 advancing more than 23 percent in the period.

The stock’s gains come despite the former president being viewed as unfriendly to clean energy stocks, which can include electric vehicle manufacturers such as Tesla.

Stock Chart IconStock chart icon.

Tesla Inc.

RT Quote | Last NASDAQ LS, VOL From CTA | USD.

After Hours: Last | 7:41 PM EST.

286.75-1.78 (-0.62 percent).

288.53+37.09 (+14.75 percent).

Close.

— Sean Conlon.

Jeff Bezos, Andy Jassy congratulate Trump.

Dave J Hogan | Getty Images Entertainment | Getty Images.

Mega-billionaire Jeff Bezos congratulated Trump on “an extraordinary political comeback and decisive victory,” with Amazon CEO Andy Jassy following with a message of his own.

“No nation has bigger opportunities. Wishing @realDonaldTrump all success in leading and uniting the America we all love,” Bezos, the Amazon founder and one of the world’s richest people, wrote in a post on X today.

The comments come two weeks after Bezos drew major backlash for deciding that The Washington Post, the newspaper he bought more than a decade ago, would not endorse a U. S. presidential candidate for the first time in 36 years.

The newspaper’s editorial page staffers had drafted an endorsement of Harris and it was ready to be approved by its board, the Post reported last month.

“Congratulations to President-elect @realDonaldTrump on a hard-fought victory,” Jassy wrote on X. “We look forward to working with you and your administration on issues important to our customers, employees, communities, and country. ”.

— Annika Kim Constantino.

Mitch McConnell speaks after Trump’s win, Republican Senate swing.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell is scheduled to speak at 11:30 a. m. ET, hours after Trump won the White House and Republicans regained control of the Senate.

McConnell, who endorsed Trump for president in March, previously announced that he would step down from his Senate leadership position this month.

— Chris Eudaily.

Jan. 6 defendant asks judge to postpone case, says Trump will likely pardon him after taking office.

Shannon Stapleton | Reuters.

A person accused of storming the U. S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, asked a federal judge to postpone a status hearing in his case because of the likelihood that he’ll be pardoned by Trump.

In a motion filed in Washington, D.C. , federal court, Christopher Carnell said Trump’s re-election “significantly impact[s] the status” of his case because the incoming president said while on the campaign trail that he’d pardon Jan. 6 defendants.

“Carnell, who was an 18 year old nonviolent entrant into the Capitol on January 6, is expecting to be relieved of the criminal prosecution that he is currently facing when the new administration takes office,” the filing said. “Carnell is now awaiting further information from the Office of the President-elect regarding the timing and expected scope of clemency actions relevant to his case. ”.

— Gabrielle Fonrouge.

Biggest U. S. pharma trade group says it looks forward to working with Trump.

Saevichmikalai | Istock | Getty Images.

The biggest pharmaceutical industry lobbying group in the U. S. congratulated Trump today and said it looks forward to “working with him to build on the successes from his first administration. ”.

Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America represents many of the largest drugmakers in the world, including Eli Lilly , Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson .

Stephen Ubl, the group’s president and CEO, touted Trump’s previous efforts to crack down on drug middlemen that negotiate rebates with manufacturers on behalf of insurers. The pharmaceutical industry and lawmakers alike accuse those so-called pharmacy benefit managers of pocketing savings instead of passing them down to patients.

Several of Trump’s efforts to reform PBMs, such as a rule that would eliminate the rebates they receive from drugmakers, failed or were reversed by the Biden administration.

— Annika Kim Constantino.

Speaker Johnson says he expects unified government in the White House, Senate and House.

Kevin Dietsch | Getty Images.

House Speaker Mike Johnson, a close Trump ally, said in a statement that he expects Republicans will win control of the House in addition to the White House and Senate, which have already been called. There are close House races still outstanding, and NBC News has not officially projected which party will control the chamber.

“We will continue to monitor the results and ensure every legal ballot is counted throughout this process,” Johnson said. “I look forward to working with President Trump and a Republican Senate to deliver as Speaker of the House on the mandate entrusted to us by the American people. ”.

— Ashley Capoot.

Retail trade association says Trump tariff plan is a ‘tax on American families’.

Wang Ying | Xinhua News Agency | Getty Images.

The National Retail Federation, the retail industry’s largest lobbying arm, said it is ready to work with Trump but said widescale changes to tariff policies “will drive inflation and price increases and will result in job losses. ”.

“Effective trade policies will increase America’s competitive advantages in research, development and innovation and will protect strategically critical infrastructure while increasing the standard of living and quality of life for all Americans. However, the adoption of across-the-board tariffs on consumer goods and other non-strategic imports amounts to a tax on American families,” NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay said in a statement, referencing Trump’s campaign plan to raise tariffs on overseas goods.

“The retail industry stands ready to work with President-elect Trump and Congress to enact tax, trade and regulatory policies that make America more competitive, increase domestic investment and create jobs. ”.

The Retail Industry Leaders Association offered a softer statement in its response to Trump’s reelection, saying retailers hope the incoming administration will “take a strategic approach to international trade, with policies that shield families from higher prices on consumer goods. ”.

“Leading retailers look forward to working with President-elect Trump and the newly elected members of Congress on the host of issues important to local retailers, our employees and the communities we serve,” RILA president Brian Dodge said.

“Inflation was clearly a motivating factor in yesterday’s election results, with many middle-class voters expressing deep concern about the impact inflation has had on family budgets. Policymakers should hear their concerns loud and clear as debates on taxes and tariffs take center stage. ”.

— Gabrielle Fonrouge.

Uncertainty looms over U. S. electric vehicle industry after Trump victory.

Patrick T. Fallon | Afp | Getty Images.

The fate of the U. S. electric vehicle industry is uncertain after Trump’s presidential victory against Harris.

Republicans overall have largely condemned EVs, and Trump has vowed to roll back or eliminate vehicle emissions standards under the Environmental Protection Agency as well as incentives designed to boost production or adoption of the eco-friendly vehicles included in Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act.

It would be difficult for Trump to totally gut the IRA, said auto industry insiders and other officials, but he could defund or limit subsidies for EVs through executive orders or other actions.

Click here to read the full article.

— Gabrielle Fonrouge and Michael Wayland.

Solar stocks tank as Trump win raises fears GOP will repeal IRA, slow clean energy progress.

Mel Melcon | Los Angeles Times | Getty Images.

Solar stocks sold off Wednesday after Donald Trump secured a second trip to the White House and Republicans won control of the Senate, amid fears the Inflation Reduction Act, which helps fund clean energy manufacturing in the U. S. , will be repealed.

The benchmark Invesco Solar ETF was down more than 12 percent in morning trading, while the iShares Global Clean Energy ETF was down nearly 8 percent.

Solar panel manufacturer First Solar tumbled about 12 percent. Residential solar stocks Sunrun and Sunnova fell nearly 25 percent and 40 percent, respectively.

Inverter manufacturers Enphase and SolarEdge tumbled about 14 percent and about 17 percent, respectively. Sun tracker manufacturers Nextracker and Array were down about 10 percent and 18 percent, respectively.

The future of the IRA, however, will depend on whether Republicans also win unified control of Congress. It remains unclear whether the GOP will secure a majority in the House of Representatives.

— Spencer Kimball.

Trump advisor says president-elect needs to quickly appoint new Federal Reserve chair.

Trump advisor Scott Bessent says the incoming administration needs to move quickly to nominate the next chair of the Federal Reserve after the president-elect said he wouldn’t renominate Jay Powell.

In an interview on CNBC’s “Squawk Box,” the founder and CEO of Key sq\. Group said the Biden administration dragged its feet in appointing Powell, which contributed to the historic rise in inflation in 2022.

“You’d have to ask the Biden people why they waited so late. He was not renominated until the end of November 2021 .. then he began hiking rates in March of ’22,” said Bessent. “If they had renominated and reappointed him six months earlier, he could have gotten started sooner. ”.

— Gabrielle Fonrouge.

Harris to call Trump, make concession speech later today.

AP Photo.

Harris is expected to call Trump today to concede and will also make a public concession speech, two aides to the vice president told NBC News.

The vice president will address the nation at 4 p. m. ET at her alma mater, Howard University, the White House said.

Biden is also planning to call the former president to congratulate him and wants to do the things that Trump didn’t do when the president was elected in 2020, a White House official said. That includes inviting him to the White House and attending his inauguration, the official said.

— Gabrielle Fonrouge.

Harris gathering felt like ‘a funeral’ last night as Trump victory loomed.

Daniel Cole | Reuters.

Harris had initially planned to make remarks at her alma mater Howard University last night but as the results started to look more and more like a Trump victory, the mood started to darken, NBC reported.

“By the end of the night, you can see it in their face,” said NBC’s Gabe Gutierrez. “One Democrat of the gathering of major Harris donors at a hotel here in D.C. likened the atmosphere to that of a funeral. ”.

Angela Weiss | Afp | Getty Images.

— Gabrielle Fonrouge.

Trump Media shares halted after popping at the open.

Shares of Trump Media were halted multiple times for volatility after opening up more than 20 percent. The stock, which surged more than 50 percent in extended trading, is now up only about 12 percent, erasing some of those gains.

Read the full story here.

— Josephine Rozzelle.

JD Vance thanks his wife, Trump following victory.

Carlos Barria | Reuters.

Vice president-elect JD Vance thanked his wife and Trump on Wednesday morning in his first public comments since the incoming president’s second victory was made official.

“THANK YOU! To my beautiful wife for making it possible to do this. To President Donald J. Trump, for giving me such an opportunity to serve our country at this level,” Vance wrote on X. “And to the American people, for their trust. I will never stop fighting for ALL of you. ”.

— Gabrielle Fonrouge.

Rubio says U. S. is funding “stalemate” in Ukraine and Trump wants war to end.

Joe Raedle | Getty Images News | Getty Images.

Sen. Marco Rubio said the U. S. is funding a “stalemate” war in Ukraine that needs to end after Trump signaled he may reduce his support to Kyiv if elected.

“In the case of Ukraine, who wants war? What he’s talking about is he wants the war to end. Now as a businessman he’s not going to tell you about his negotiating tactics to bring it to a close but I don’t understand why we would not want a war like that to end,” Rubio told NBC’s Savannah Guthrie in an interview Wednesday morning.

“I think the Ukrainians have been incredibly brave and strong in standing up to Russia but at the end of the day what we are funding here is a stalemate war and it needs to be brought to a conclusion. ”.

— Gabrielle Fonrouge.

Stocks open at record highs after Trump victory.

Andrew Kelly | Reuters.

The major U. S. stock benchmarks hit record highs at the open Wednesday, boosted by Donald Trump’s U. S. election victory.

The Dow surged more than 1,000 points, or 3 percent. The S&P 500 soared 2 percent along with the Nasdaq Composite .

Stock Chart IconStock chart icon.

Dow Jones Industrial Average.

RT Quote | Exchange | USD.

43,729.93+1,508.05 (+3.57 percent).

Last | 5:30 PM EST.

— Fred Imbert.

Liz Cheney: Citizens ‘must now be the guardrails of democracy’.

Evelyn Hockstein | Reuters.

Former Republican Rep. Liz Cheney — who campaigned for Harris in an effort to convince anti-Trump Republicans to vote blue — addressed Trump’s win in a post on X this morning.

“Our nation’s democratic system functioned last night and we have a new President-elect. All Americans are bound, whether we like the outcome or not, to accept the results of our elections,” Cheney said in the post.

“We now have a special responsibility, as citizens of the greatest nation on earth, to do everything we can to support and defend our Constitution, preserve the rule of law, and ensure that our institutions hold over these coming four years,” she wrote.

“Citizens across this country, our courts, members of the press and those serving in our federal, state and local governments must now be the guardrails of democracy. ”.

— Josephine Rozzelle.

Hungary’s Orban hails ‘biggest comeback’ in U. S. politics.

Brendan Smialowski | AFP | Getty Images.

Long-time Trump ally Viktor Orban hailed the Republican politician’s return to the White House as a “much needed victory for the world. ”.

“The biggest comeback in U. S. political history!” he added in a social media post.

As ballots were still being counted early on Wednesday, Orban had published a TV caption showing a Republican lead in a Facebook post that said “on the way to a wonderful win,” according to a Google translation.

Orban, who has maintained close relations with Trump over the years, even assumed a “Make Europe Great Again” tagline when his government took over the rotating presidency of the European Union over the summer — a slogan reminiscent of Trump’s own campaign motto.

— Ruxandra Iordache.

Bank, crypto and prison stocks move higher on Trump win.

David Lombeida | Bloomberg | Getty Images.

Cryptocurrency, banks and prison stocks are moving higher in pre-market trading Wednesday following Trump’s decisive presidential victory.

Shares of Tesla spiked 12 percent now that the company’s CEO Elon Musk has such a close alliance with the incoming president. Stocks like Coinbase and Robinhood were both up about 12 percent on bitcoin’s rise while private prison owner Geo Group surged more than 26 percent. The spike in Geo’s stock comes after Trump promised to take a tougher approach to criminal justice issues, which could be a tailwind for the prison company.

Banks, likely to see favorable deregulation under a second Trump presidency, were also moving higher. Shares of Wells Fargo were up 11 percent while JP Morgan spiked around 7 percent.

–Gabrielle Fonrouge.

Trump’s election win dismays architects of Paris climate accord.

Jim Watson | Afp | Getty Images.

Two key architects of the landmark Paris Agreement warned that Donald Trump’s election victory will stall global efforts to protect the environment.

The 78-year-old, who has called the climate crisis “one of the great scams,” has pledged to ramp up fossil fuel production, pare back outgoing President Joe Biden’s emissions-limiting regulations and pull the country out of the Paris climate accord — again.

Laurence Tubiana, a key figure behind the Paris Agreement, said Trump’s election victory “is a setback for global climate action, but the Paris Agreement has proven resilient and is stronger than any single country’s policies. ”.

Christiana Figueres, the former United Nations climate chief who oversaw the 2015 Paris summit, said the U. S. election result will be regarded as a “major blow to global climate action. ”.

Read the whole story.

— Sam Meredith.

Hamas urges Trump to learn from Biden’s ‘mistakes’ in Gaza policy.

Muhammed Enes Yildirim | Anadolu | Getty Images.

Trump should learn from the “mistakes” of outgoing President Joe Biden, senior Hamas official Abu Zuhri urged, in comments reported by Reuters.

Under Biden’s administration, the U. S. has staunchly supported Israel and its retaliatory campaign against the Palestinian militant group, after Hamas carried out a terror attack against the Jewish state in October last year.

Washington has nevertheless also urged Israel to moderate its response and to curtail civilian casualties during its military incursion in the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip.

Trump has previously called for a quick end to the conflict in the Gaza enclave, as well as to the ongoing war in Ukraine.

— Ruxandra Iordache.

Trump win is a ‘mixed bag’ for retailers, analyst says.

Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty Images.

Trump’s presidential victory “brings a mixed bag of positives and negatives” for the retail industry plus “a large dose of uncertainty,” says GlobalData managing director Neil Saunders.

“The main positive for retail is that President Trump will almost certainly renew the tax cut package he introduced during his first term in 2017, which was due to expire at the end of 2025. This will be broadly helpful to consumer incomes, although retailers should not expect to see a surge in spending as it is about rolling over an existing policy that is already baked into consumer behavior,” the retail analyst said in an emailed note. “The huge downside to retail comes from Trump’s proposals on tariffs. ”.

If Trump makes good on his promise to raise tariffs on goods made overseas, retailers will bear the brunt of that cost, said Saunders.

“Given the trade between Chinese manufacturers and US retailers, a strict tariff policy would mean retailers initially either taking a massive hit on profits or being forced to put up prices, which would fuel inflation and dampen retail volume growth,” said Saunders. “Over time, supply chains would adjust to a new tariff regime, but this would not happen overnight and would be incredibly disruptive. ”.

Saunders noted that there’s a “small hope” that Trump’s comments on raising tariffs are more of a negotiating tactic and any eventual changes could be “modest in scope. ”.

–Gabrielle Fonrouge.

Abortion ballot measures pass in 7 states, fail in 3 others.

Evelyn Hockstein | Reuters.

Abortion rights ballot measures passed in seven states and failed in three others, more than two years after the U. S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade and ended the federal constitutional right to the procedure.

Amendments to protect abortion access passed in Arizona, Colorado, New York, Maryland, Missouri, Montana and Nevada.

Voters in Missouri cleared the way to undo one of the nation’s most restrictive abortion bans. Similarly in Arizona, voters passed a measure that is expected to overturn the state’s ban on abortions 15 weeks into pregnancy.

But Florida, Nebraska and South Dakota defeated similar constitutional amendments, leaving bans in place.

— Annika Kim Constantino.

Barclays warns of ‘knee-jerk’ market reactions in near term.

Jin Lee | Bloomberg | Getty Images.

Markets should brace for “knee-jerk” moves in the short term, as it remains unclear whether Trump’s victory will also be accompanied by a “Red Sweep” — implying a Republican win in both the House and the Senate.

“In our view, the most positive outcome for US equities is a Red Sweep, the most negative outcome for EU equities, in relative terms, is Trump and a divided congress,” they said, flagging that a contested election or any lingering electoral uncertainties had been a foremost concern for investors.

The analysts identified trade tariffs as a “key risk for Europe,” with a higher likelihood of implementation under a Trump administration.

“We thus think that EU equities are likely to continue lagging US equities on a relative basis,” Barclays said.

— Ruxandra Iordache.

Trump Media pares gains in premarket trading — still up 30 percent on Trump win.

Shares of Trump Media are up more than 30 percent premarket as NBC News projects Trump — the company’s majority owner — the winner of the presidential election.

The Truth Social parent company surged above 50 percent after the close Tuesday but has since pared back those gains. More than 34 million shares have changed hands in premarket trading.

Read the full story here.

Stock Chart IconStock chart icon.

Trump Media & Technology Group Corp.

RT Quote | Last NYSE Arca, VOL From CTA | USD.

After Hours: Last | 7:41 PM EST.

33.45-2.50 (-6.97 percent).

35.95+2.02 (+5.94 percent).

Close.

– Josephine Rozzelle.

Trump to launch ‘mass deportation’ on day one of presidency, press secretary says.

Brendan Mcdermid | Reuters.

Trump press secretary Karoline Leavitt says it’s time for the incoming president to make good on his campaign promises, including a “mass deportation operation” on day one of his administration.

“The American people delivered a resounding victory for President Trump, and gives him a mandate to govern as he campaigned, to deliver on the promises that he made, which include, on day one, launching the largest mass deportation operation of illegal immigrants that Kamala Harris has allowed” in this country, Leavitt said on Fox News.

While on the campaign trail, Trump frequently spoke about his plans to deport people who he said had entered the country unlawfully.

— Gabrielle Fonrouge.

Argentina’s Milei urges Trump to ‘Make America Great Again’.

Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty Images.

Argentina’s right-wing President Javier Milei congratulated Trump on his “formidable electoral victory” in a social media post on the X platform.

“Now, Make America Great Again. You know that You can count on Argentina to carry out your task. Success and blessings,” Milei said.

Often likened, Trump and Milei enjoy a cordial relationship, with the Republican president previously welcoming the Argentinian leader’s win in the Latin American country’s election last year and urging him to “Make Argentina Great Again” at the time.

— Ruxandra Iordache.

Black voters no longer vote in a bloc, former Obama official says.

Zach Gibson | Bloomberg | Getty Images.

Trump’s decisive presidential victory indicates that Black voters no longer vote in a bloc,” said Jeh Johnson, former secretary of Homeland Security in the Obama administration.

“We have come to believe over generations that different demographic groups vote as a bloc because for so often, for so long, the Black vote in this country voted in a bloc,” Johnson said on MSNBC. “Ninety percent for Democrats, from [Lyndon] Johnson all the way to [Barack] Obama, and that is just not true anymore. ”.

The comments come after Trump managed to break barriers across a wide range of demographics in his victory over Harris, winning over Black and Latino voters who once would have voted blue.

“As different demographic groups become further integrated into our society they start caring about all of the other issues that everyone else does, whether it’s the economy, crime, whether its border security,” said Johnson.

— Gabrielle Fonrouge.

Dow futures rally 1,300 points after Trump win.

Stock futures soared as traders cheered Donald Trump’s victory over Vice President Kamala Harris.

Dow Jones Industrial Average futures were up 1,335 points, or 3.2 percent. S&P 500 futures surged 2.3 percent, while Nasdaq-100 futures advanced 1.7 percent.

— Fred Imbert.

Trump remakes Republican Party into party of working class, senior advisor says.

Doug Mills | Via Reuters.

Trump senior advisor Jason Miller says the incoming president “has completely remade the Republican Party to be the party of the working class” following his decisive victory.

“This isn’t the Republican Party of old. President Trump has completely remade the Republican Party to be the party of the working class,” Miller said in an interview with NBC’s Savannah Guthrie. “You think about the teamsters, the union workers, the folks who want to keep the auto industry, but you think about black voters, Latino voters, think about the Arab American voters in Michigan who rallied around President Trump, his win is already starting to show how he can bring that together. ”.

— Gabrielle Fonrouge.

Tim Sheehy unseats Sen. Jon Tester in Montana Senate election, NBC News projects.

Pool | Reuters.

Republican nominee Tim Sheehy defeated incumbent Democratic Sen. Jon Tester in the race for a Senate seat from Montana, NBC News projects.

Sheehy, a businessman and former Navy SEAL, focused his campaign on the economy, border security and gun rights. Tester, a farmer who’s had three terms in the Senate, faced a tough road to victory ahead of the race.

— Gabrielle Fonrouge.

Oil prices lose ground after Trump victory.

Brandon Bell | Getty Images.

Oil prices retreated Wednesday, after Donald Trump defeated Kamala Harris to clinch the White House.

The Ice Brent contract with January delivery was trading at $74.52 per barrel at 12:10 p. m. London time, down 1.34 percent. The front-month December contract lost 1.38 percent to $71 per barrel.

Trump’s election could impact the supply of the world’s largest crude producer, as the Republican politician has previously endorsed policies pledging to fully unleash America’s oil and gas production. The additional supply would exacerbate a picture of already weak demand.

— Ruxandra Iordache.

Scholz says Germany and the U. S. will continue to work to promote ‘prosperity and freedom’.

Rasid Necati Aslim | Anadolu | Getty Images.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz extended his congratulations to Donald Trump, after the former U. S. president claimed victory in the latest election to clinch the White House.

Europe’s largest economy counted the U. S. as its biggest trading partner in the first half of this year, according to Reuters. The two countries are also close allies in the NATO military coalition.

— Ruxandra Iordache.

Russia’s Putin so far silent on U. S. election.

Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin has so far kept silent on the latest result of the U. S. election.

“I am not aware of the president’s plans to congratulate Trump on his election,” Kremlin press secretary Dmitry Peskov told reporters Wednesday, according to Google-translated comments from state news agency Tass.

“Let’s not forget that we are talking about an unfriendly country that is directly and indirectly involved in a war against our state,” he added.

Anadolu Agency | Anadolu Agency | Getty Images.

Putin and Trump appeared to enjoy cordial relations during the latter’s U. S. 2017-2021 presidency. The relationship was mired in controversy after allegations of collusion between Trump’s then presidential campaign team and Russia, which was accused of meddling in the 2016 election.

Read the whole story.

— Holly Ellyatt. Bush congratulated Trump on his second presidential victory as he also thanked Biden and Harris for their “service to our country. ”.