Trump: 'We overcame obstacles nobody thought possible'

By Sylvia Chebet

Donald J. Trump, 78, was projected to become the 47th US president early Wednesday, making a historic come back from the political abyss.

After reversing his 2020 losses in the crucial states of Georgia, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin, the republican nominee was set for an Electoral College landslide over his challenger Vice President Kamala Harris.

"This was the greatest political movement of all time," Trump told a rapturous victory celebration at the Palm Beach County Convention Center in Florida.

"We overcame obstacles that nobody thought possible," he said, thanking his supporters.

Trump expanded the Republican electoral map pulling off a feat that has not been seen since 1892 when a U.S. president was elected to two nonconsecutive terms in office.

"Look what happened, is this crazy?" Trump paused to yet another thunderous applause.

Trump was favored to win the popular vote as of early Wednesday, defying odds including assasination attempts during the campaigns.

"This is a magnificent history for the American people that will make allow us to make America great again.

"This will trully be the golden age of America."

Fierce competitor

Trump ascended straight to the top office without a previous elective political experience in 2016.

He defeated several opponents to win the Republican Party's presidential nomination during the primaries.

He would go on to defeat former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in the presidential election by winning a majority of Electoral College votes. This is despite Clinton, Democratic Party candidate winning the popular vote in the hotly contested race.

As president, Trump signed a major tax reform bill into law and oversaw a reduction of federal regulations. His trade policies included tariffs in foreign aluminum, steel, and other products.

In 2020, Trump lost re-election bid to Democratic Party candidate Joe Biden who made a last-minute withdrawal from the 2024 presidential race.

The new US president will be sworn in on January 20th, 2025.

Early life and marriage

Donald Trump's journey from business magnate to president is one of high ambition and public visibility.

He was born in New York on June 14th, 1946 to Fred Trump, a prominent real estate developer and Mary Anne Trump, a Scottish-American philantropist.

He went to New York Military Academy and later graduated with a degree in economics from the University of Pennsylvania.

After completing college, he took over his father's real estate company, branding it the Trump Organization.

The business thereafter became involved in several projects, including hotels, resorts, residential and commercial building, casinos, and golf courses.

In 2004, he hosted the reality television show "The Apprentice."

He married Melania Knauss, a Slovenian-American fashion model in 2005 and they have one son, Barron. Trump also has four children from two previous marriages: Donald Jr., Ivanka, Eric, and Tiffany.