President Trump appears set to return to the White House for the second time in January after winning a stunning victory on Tuesday. His strong turnout in rural America and his newfound support among young men of all races helped power him over the finish line. 

After the Associated Press called the critical swing state of Pennsylvania for Trump at 2:24 A.M. EST on Wednesday morning, the Republican candidate had 267 votes in the Electoral College. That means an additional win in Alaska, with 3 Electoral College votes, or any other undecided state would push him over the top to win a majority of electoral votes.

Trump was leading in the vote tallies in Michigan and Wisconsin, two swing states that have not been called yet by the AP. Earlier in the night, Trump was declared the winner in North Carolina and Georgia, which made it much harder for Vice President Harris to chart a winning path in the Electoral College. 

Speaking to supporters at a conference hall at West Palm Beach, Florida, early Wednesday morning, Trump declared victory and said Tuesday’s results represented the “greatest political movement of all time.”

“We overcame obstacles that nobody thought possible,” Trump told supporters. “It’s a political victory our country has never seen before.” He was flanked by family, friends, and elected leaders from across the country. 

“This will truly be the golden age of America,” the former and future president proclaimed. 

World leaders conveyed congratulations to Trump early on Wednesday.

“Congratulations on history’s greatest comeback,” exclaimed Prime Minister Netanyahu on X. “Your historic return to the White House offers a new beginning for America and a powerful recommitment to the great alliance between Israel and America.”

President Macron of France posted on X: “Ready to work together as we were able to do during four years. With your convictions and mine. In respect and ambition. For more peace and prosperity.”

It is a remarkable turnaround for the former president, who has spent the last four years fighting off legal battles and primary opponents to make his way back to the White House. Just on Tuesday morning, Ms. Harris was leading Trump in critical battleground states and nationally. Now, Trump could be on track to win the largest national popular vote majority for a Republican presidential candidate since 1988. 

Ms. Harris did not address her supporters on Tuesday at the rally she had planned at her alma mater of Howard University. Instead — like Senator Clinton did on election night in 2016 — Ms. Harris sent out a campaign advisor to tell supporters that the candidate would not speak to the nation. 

It appears Trump’s coattails may be enough for his party to gain total control of Washington’s levers of powers by January. The GOP is already predicted to retake the Senate, with Republican businessman Bernie Moreno defeating Senator Brown in Ohio and Governor Justice flipping the open West Virginia seat. Four other Republican challengers to Democratic incumbents in Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Nevada are all leading in their races as of Wednesday morning. 

In the House, Trump also appeared to aid some Republican challengers who were running against Democrats in red or red-leaning districts. Speaker Johnson said Wednesday morning that America had delivered a message of “hope” to the world with the Republican victories. 

“There is hope and morning in America again! Donald Trump is now our President-elect, chosen by the American people for such a time as this. The citizens of our great country used their voices to decisively reject four more years of Harris’ open borders, high crime, increased cost of living, weaponized government, dangerous radical woke ideology, and weakness on the world stage — demanding instead, a return to common sense, peace, and prosperity,” the speaker wrote. 

House Republicans picked up multiple seats across swing states in the hours after polls closed. Congresswoman Elissa Slotkin, who vacated her swing seat in Michigan to run for the Senate, saw her district swing to the GOP in an upset. Congressman Matt Cartwright — a northeastern Pennsylvania Democrat — lost his race. Congresswoman Susan Wild, a neighboring Democrat from Allentown, Pennsylvania, is trailing her Republican challenger as of Wednesday morning. 

Control of the House in January remains unclear.