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Donald Trump will be the next president of the United States after defeating Kamala Harris in the 2024 election, 9News projects.
The Republican candidate claimed the two crucial swing states of North Carolina and Georgia around midnight on the US East Coast (4pm AEDT), before Pennsylvania was called for Trump by 9News political editor Charles Croucher shortly after.
He also holds leads in fellow battlegrounds Michigan, Arizona, Wisconsin and Nevada, raising the prospect of a red sweep of the seven states that were expected to decide the election.
Shortly after Pennsylvania was called, and close to 3am local time, Trump addressed his supporters in Florida to claim victory.
“This was a movement like nobody’s ever seen before, and frankly, this was, I believe, the greatest political movement of all time,” he said.
“There’s never been anything like this in this country, and maybe beyond.
“And now it’s going to reach a new level of importance, because we’re going to help our country…
“I want to thank the American people for the extraordinary honour of being elected your 47th president and your 45th president, and every citizen, I will fight for you, for your family and your future.
“Every single day, I will be fighting for you and with every breath in my body, I will not rest until we have delivered the strong, safe and prosperous America that our children deserve and that you deserve.
“This will truly be the golden age of America.”
Trump did not mention Harris in his victory speech.
North Carolina was the first swing state to be called, and shortly afterwards Georgia fell the same way – the first state to change hands this election after Joe Biden took it in 2020.
At that stage, the Harris campaign had pinned its hopes on a late rush of blue votes to hand the vice president victory, and told supporters to prepare for a long count.
“We have known all along that our clearest path to 270 electoral votes lies through the Blue Wall states (Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Michigan),” campaign chair Jennifer O’Malley Dillon said, adding that “we’ve been saying for weeks that this race might not be called tonight”.
But a repeat of 2020, when postal votes and other ballots counted late overwhelmingly favoured Biden to send him to the White House, didn’t eventuate.
Pennsylvania was called for Trump by several US networks around 6pm AEDT, blocking Harris’ path to victory through the so-called Blue Wall – her last viable route to the White House.
Trump also holds significant leads in Michigan, Wisconsin, Nevada and Arizona, with more than half of the vote counted in those states.
Harris’ campaign said the current vice president will not give a speech tonight.
In addition to claiming North Carolina and holding an edge in the swing states, Trump also held a lead in the popular vote of about 5 million – albeit with many votes from the Democratic stronghold of California still to be counted.
No Republican has won the popular vote since George W Bush in 2004.
