Summary
With a win in Wisconsin, Trump cleared the 270 electoral votes needed to clinch the presidency. The victory validates his bare-knuckle approach to politics. The coarse rhetoric, paired with an image of hypermasculinity, resonated with angry voters.
His win against Harris, the first woman of color to lead a major party ticket, marks the second time he has defeated a female rival in a general election. The results cap a historically tumultuous and competitive election season.
Trump’s language and behavior during the campaign sparked warnings from Democrats and some Republicans about shocks to democracy that his return to power would bring. He repeatedly praised strongman leaders, warned that he would deploy the military to target political opponents he labeled the “enemy from within,” threatened to take action against news organizations for unfavorable coverage.
The campaign often veered into the absurd, with Trump amplifying bizarre and disproven rumors. A bullet grazed Trump’s ear and killed one of his supporters.
As the 2022 midterm election approached, Trump used the power of his endorsement to assert himself as the unquestioned leader of the party. His preferred candidates almost always won their primaries, but some went on to defeat in elections that Republicans viewed as within their grasp.
He also has been found liable in two other New York civil cases. Trump is subject to additional criminal charges in an election-interference case in Georgia.
