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When will Donald Trump take over as US president? When does Trump become US president?
(about 3 hours later)
Republican Donald Trump will be the next US president - in a victory that secures his historic return to the White House. Surrounded by family, Trump says he will 'heal the country'
Projected results in crucial swing states - including North Carolina, Georgia, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin - have gone in favour of the 78-year-old, who has already served as president once before. Republican Donald Trump will be the next US president - after an historic victory that will send him back to the White House.
The race with Democrat Kamala Harris was thought to be on a knife edge, but overnight results showed Trump had secured more than the 270 electoral votes required. The race with Democrat Kamala Harris had been thought to be on a knife edge, but overnight results showed Trump had secured enough votes to win.
How did Trump win? He will be the first former president to return to office in more than 130 years, and - at 78 - the oldest man ever elected to the role.
The race between Trump and Harris came down to results from seven swing states, which, before election day, experts believed either Harris or Trump could win. When will the election results be confirmed?
On election night, Donald Trump was projected by the BBC's US partner CBS News to win: Trump has already been congratulated by world leaders including Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the UK's Keir Starmer, but the official presidential election results are not yet confirmed.
North Carolina, the first swing state to be projected There had been fears that extremely close races in some of the key battleground "swing" states might have left the results uncertain.
Georgia, which Democrat Joe Biden narrowly won in 2020 But earlier-than-expected wins in North Carolina, Georgia, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, coupled with victories in solidly Republican states, meant he reached the magic 270 electoral votes needed to secure the presidency.
Pennsylvania, which Biden also narrowly won last time around CBS, the BBC's broadcasting partner in the US, projected Donald Trump as the overall winner just after 05:30 EST (10:30 GMT) the day after the election.
Wisconsin, which was also won by Biden in 2020 However, it could still take days or even weeks for the detailed election results to be confirmed officially in every state.
Winning in these swing states, combined with Trump's earlier wins in solidly Republican states, would mean he would reach the magic 270 electoral votes needed to secure the presidency. Is Donald Trump now president?
CBS projected Donald Trump as the overall winner just after 05:30 EST (10:30 GMT). No. Trump becomes the president-elect, and his running mate JD Vance becomes the vice-president elect.
The race was seen by CBS to be very close in other swing states: Trump will be sworn in at the presidential inauguration on Monday, 20 January 2025, at which point he will legally assume the power and responsibilities of the presidency.
Michigan, where a final result is not expected until the end of Wednesday What happens between election day and the inauguration?
Arizona, where the overall count could take days Once every valid vote has been included in the final results, a process known as the electoral college confirms the election result.
Nevada, where the overall count could also take days In each state a varying number of electoral college votes are up for grabs. It is securing these – and not just the backing of voters themselves – that ultimately wins the presidency.
Up-to-the-minute results as they happen in every state
When is the official result announced?
Trump has already been congratulated by world leaders.
There were fears that what appeared to be a knife-edge race in many states could complicate the speed at which media outlets projected a winner. Narrow victories could also have meant recounts.
But the 2024 results arrived in many of the battleground states much more quickly than had been predicted - allowing media outlets to project Trump as the overall winner.
But it might still take days or even weeks for the detailed final results of the election to be confirmed officially in every state. Some local legal challenges are also possible, even after Trump's victory.
Follow live election updates
Is Donald Trump president yet?
Donald Trump, as president-elect, will be sworn in as president after an inauguration on Monday, 20 January 2025.
Before that, once every valid vote has been included in the final results, a process known as the electoral college comes into play.
In each state a varying number of electoral college votes can be won. It is securing these – and not just the backing of voters themselves – that ultimately wins the presidency.
What is the US electoral college, and how does it work?
Generally, states award all of their electoral college votes to whoever wins the popular vote, and this is confirmed after meetings on 17 December.Generally, states award all of their electoral college votes to whoever wins the popular vote, and this is confirmed after meetings on 17 December.
The new US Congress then meets on 6 January to count the electoral college votes and confirm the new president.The new US Congress then meets on 6 January to count the electoral college votes and confirm the new president.
After the 2020 election, Trump refused to concede and rallied supporters to march on the US Capitol as Congress was meeting to certify Joe Biden's victory. It was this meeting of Congress, to certify the election results, that Trump's supporters tried to stop, when they marched on the US Capitol in 2021 after Trump refused to concede defeat to Joe Biden.
Trump supporters gathered outside the US Capitol building on 6 January 2021 Trump supporters gathered outside the US Capitol building on 6 January 2021 to try and stop the certification of the election results
When have previous presidential election results been announced? What do the president-elect and vice-president-elect do now?
In the 2020 election, US TV networks did not declare Joe Biden the winner until four days after election day, when the result in Pennsylvania became clearer. President-elect Trump and vice-president-elect JD Vance will work with their transition team to organise the handover from President Biden’s administration.
In other recent elections, voters have had a much shorter wait. They will identify their policy priorities, start vetting the candidates who will take up key roles in the new administration, and prepare to take over the functions of government.
In 2016, Trump was declared the winner shortly before 03:00 EST (08:00 GMT) a few hours after polls closed. Trump and his team will also begin receiving classified national security briefings covering current threats and ongoing military operations.
In 2012, when Barack Obama secured a second term, his victory was projected before midnight the same evening of election day. The president-elect and vice-president-elect also receive mandatory protection from the US Secret Service.
However, the 2000 election between George W Bush and Al Gore was a notable exception. The race was not decided for five weeks, when the US Supreme Court voted to end Florida's recount. That kept Bush in place as winner and handed him the White House. The outgoing president usually invites the incoming president to the White House in the days after the election.
How the US presidential campaign unfolded in 180 seconds They also typically attend the inauguration to symbolise the peaceful transfer of power, although Trump chose to boycott the ceremony in 2020.
Additional reporting by Sam Cabral He did however follow the tradition begun by Ronald Reagan of leaving a handwritten note in the Oval Office for his successor to read.
At the time, President Biden told reporters that his predecessor had left "a very generous letter”.
After the inauguration, the new president begins work immediately.
Follow live election day updates as Trump winsFollow live election day updates as Trump wins
Who did each state vote for?Who did each state vote for?
Watch: How election night unfoldedWatch: How election night unfolded
What's next for the Trump agenda?What's next for the Trump agenda?
Analysis: Why the US gave Trump a second chanceAnalysis: Why the US gave Trump a second chance
Are you in the US? Get in touch
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Are you in the US? Get in touch.