Election 2024: Harris speaks to supporters in concession speech after Trump's victory

Latino voters took a big right turn in an election dominated by voter outrage over the high cost of food and housing, helping Trump secure a second term in the White House.

Harris finished with a slim majority of support from Hispanic voters, at 53%, while Trump vacuumed up about 45% of the vote, a 13-point increase from 2020 and a record high for a Republican presidential nominee, according to NBC News exit polls.

Trump’s Hispanic vote percentage beat the previous record, set by George W. Bush in 2004, when Bush won as much as 44% of the Hispanic vote. But in 2012, the vote swung heavily left, with 71% of Hispanics voting for President Barack Obama, followed by lower but still significant support for Hillary Clinton in 2016, at about 66%, and then Joe Biden in 2020, at 65%.

Read the full story here.

Asian American support for Trump was 5 percentage points higher this election cycle than in 2020, marking a slight shift to the right.

The NBC News Exit Poll of early and Election Day voters indicated that 54% of Asian American voters chose Harris, while 39% voted for Trump. Harris lost 7 points compared to Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) support for Biden in 2020.

Karthick Ramakrishnan, founder of AAPI Data, said the polling shows a continuing shift that began with the 2016 presidential election cycle and Trump’s entry into the political arena.

Read the full story here.

NBC News' Richard Engel joined "TODAY" to talk about the mixed reaction from countries and world leaders to Trump’s being elected the next president of the United States. He said Europe is "very worried," especially when it comes to NATO and his reliability as a leader. Engel also said Ukraine “has the most to lose.”

Jenniffer González of the New Progressive Party, which supports statehood for Puerto Rico, has declared victory as preliminary election results in the governor’s race put her ahead of her main opponent, Juan Dalmau — who emerged as a strong contender after he became the face of a new third-party coalition that merged the minority Puerto Rican Independence Party with the Citizens’ Victory Movement.

“I will be the governor of all Puerto Ricans, of those who voted, of those who did not vote and of those who did not support me,” González, a Republican who is Puerto Rico’s nonvoting delegate in Congress, said in Spanish in a speech late last night. “And although there are still votes to be counted, I know that the trend is clear.”

As of this afternoon, González had 39% of the vote with 91% of precincts reporting, according to the Puerto Rico Elections Commission. Dalmau was in second place with nearly 33%.

Read the full story here.

For many Democratic voters, Harris’ loss to Trump was disappointing but not surprising, they said in interviews, agreeing that their party hadn’t done enough to talk about the economy and lamenting lingering racism and sexism.

Democratic voters in battleground states say they see many reasons for her defeat: the abbreviated campaign, a lack of economic messaging, a drift too far to the left on social issues, the war in Gaza and bias against Harris because she is a woman of color.

Trump seized on Americans’ economic frustrations while he drew young men and Latino voters, in particular, according to NBC News exit polls.

Read the full story here.

Chinese President Xi Jinping has congratulated Trump, Chinese state media reported, telling him that the world’s two biggest economies “will both benefit from cooperation and lose from confrontation.”

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning did not confirm reports that the two leaders had spoken by phone.

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, who is awaiting a decision from lawmakers next week about whether he will stay in office, told reporters he had spoken with Trump for about five minutes, during which they agreed to meet “as soon as possible.”

He said that it was the first one-on-one conversation he had had with Trump and that he felt Trump was “very friendly.”

Rep. James Clyburn, D-S.C., said that if Trump’s agenda for his second term echoes the plans he laid out on the campaign trail, congressional Democrats will have to be active in their opposition and in laying out alternatives to his proposals.

“If his agenda is anything akin to what his campaign was all about, we are going to be very active, not just as loyal opposition, but we’ll be laying out alternatives to his proposals,” Clyburn said on MSNBC’s “The Last Word with Lawrence O'Donnell.”

Clyburn also argued that Democrats failed to communicate Biden’s accomplishments during the campaign, allowing voters to mistakenly attribute his accomplishments to Trump.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said he spoke with Trump "to personally congratulate him on his election victory" as Australia's U.S. ambassador deleted comments he had made about Trump.

Albanese said on X that he and Trump talked about the importance of the treaty alliance between their two countries, as well as "the strength of the Australia-US relationship in security, AUKUS, trade and investment."

AUKUS is a trilateral security partnership among Australia, Britain and the U.S. that is initially focused on helping Australia acquire nuclear-powered attack submarines.

After an unlikely journey into politics and a transformation from Trump critic to fierce ally, Vance is now set to become the 50th vice president. NBC News' Vaughn Hillyard reports for "TODAY."

Several senators who were among the seven Senate Republicans who voted to convict Trump of inciting an insurrection at the U.S. Capitol in 2021 extended their congratulations to the president-elect on winning a second term.

“I congratulate President Trump on his clear victory,” Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, wrote tonight on X.

Murkowski, who endorsed former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley in the 2024 GOP presidential primary, told NBC News this year that she “could not” vote for Trump if he became the Republican nominee.

Philip George, a Trump supporter, expected the presidential race in Pennsylvania to be a lot closer than it was.

“I was quite surprised when I woke up at 6 a.m. and I checked the results and saw that he was ahead,” George told NBC News. “And not only that but, you know, Pennsylvania and all the other swing states he took."

Asked what Trump can do to bring people together, George said: “I think the biggest focus right now should be our economy. I think once people start seeing some of this inflation come down, some of the prices come down, tempers are going to come down a little bit more and people aren’t going to be as angry at each other."

Tech company CEOs who largely sat on the sidelines for the presidential election sent their congratulations today to Trump, ignoring his history of threats against some of them and joining their peer Elon Musk in welcoming Trump back to power.

A series of tech titans weighed in on social media with warm wishes for Trump including Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Apple CEO Tim Cook, Alphabet and Google CEO Sundar Pichai, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, Amazon Executive Chair Jeff Bezos and Amazon CEO Andy Jassy. 

“Congratulations to President Trump on a decisive victory,” Zuckerberg wrote on his app Threads. “We have great opportunities ahead of us as a country. Looking forward to working with you and your administration.”

Read the full story here.

Various world leaders said today that they placed their first calls to Trump after his election victory.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that he had "an excellent call" with Trump and that he "congratulated him on his historic landslide victory."

Trump transition co-chairs Linda McMahon and Howard Lutnick released their first statement after Trump became president-elect, saying they have been "preparing for President Trump’s next administration" since the transition team was formed.

"In the days and weeks ahead, President Trump will be selecting personnel to serve our nation under his leadership and enact policies that make the life of Americans affordable, safe, and secure," the statement said. "We are proud to volunteer our time to present President Trump with a wide array of experts from which he can select for his team."

McMahon and Lutnick also said Trump's projected win "delivered a mandate," adding that the transition team "will ensure the implementation of President Trump’s common sense agenda starting on Day 1."

Female voters were expected to turn out in droves for Harris on Election Day. There was an advertising blitz encouraging conservative women to vote for Harris in secret. There was a bold proclamation by anti-Trump Republican Liz Cheney that women would “save the day” yesterday. And polling showed Harris held an impressive 20-point lead over Trump on the issue of abortion.

None of it was nearly enough for Harris to clinch the presidency.

Read the full story here.

Trump promised to reinstate a ban on military service for transgender people and block transition-related care for minors nationwide. NBC News’ Steven Romo reports on what members of the LGBTQ community are saying about the future of rights under Trump.

After having repeatedly depicted the presidential election as a spiritual clash between good and evil, leading figures in the movement to remake America as an explicitly Christian nation celebrated Trump’s victory as a fulfillment of God’s divine will.

Lance Wallnau, a celebrity evangelist who has spent decades calling on conservative Christians to occupy positions of power and influence over society, told followers on an election night livestream that Trump’s victory had been prophesied years ago — a key step in God’s plan to usher in a new era of Christian dominion around the world.

“There’s a different dialogue about spirituality happening in America,” said Wallnau, who had worked to mobilize Trump voters in swing states. “And with Donald Trump,” he continued, God has “given permission to take it right to the White House.”

Read the full story here.

Trump has claimed he can solve the war in Ukraine “in 24 hours,” putting pressure on President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to negotiate and potentially lose territory. NBC News' Andrea Mitchell joins "TODAY" to analyze what Trump’s election win means for foreign affairs.

House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., and Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., are both seeking re-election to their leadership posts in the next Congress — if Republicans keep control of the House — they said in letters to colleagues today.

Johnson, a frequent fan of football metaphors, wrote that House Republicans “will operate from our well designed playbook, and execute those plays with precision, to put points on the board and win for the American people. We, of course, are the players who will make all this happen, and I look forward to the pre-game warm-up over the next several weeks.”

In a four-page letter, Scalise said Republicans have “spent the last two years preparing for” Trump’s win. “We methodically laid out a road map — passing key aspects of Trump’s bold agenda to clearly show how we would govern if given this historic opportunity,” he wrote. “Now, we need a Majority Leader who knows how to take that road map and, under President Trump’s leadership, implement a bold, conservative Republican agenda.”

Biden is scheduled to address the nation from the Rose Garden at 11 a.m. tomorrow, the White House said.

The speech will be Biden's first public remarks since the election.

Republican Ryan Zinke wins re-election to the House in Montana's 1st Congressional District, NBC News projects.

Zinke was first elected to the House in 2014, and later tapped as interior secretary during the first Trump administration. He resigned from Trump's Cabinet amid ethics investigations. A watchdog report in 2022 found that he misled investigators while serving in the administration.

See the latest results here.

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman spoke with Trump on the phone today to congratulate him on winning the election, the country's Foreign Affairs Ministry said in a statement.

Bin Salman expressed an "eagerness to strengthen the longstanding strategic and historic ties" between the two countries. Last month, Reuters reported that Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner had recently discussed diplomatic negotiations regarding normalization with Saudi Arabia and Israel.

Saudi Arabia was on track for a landmark agreement with Israel last year until the Hamas-led Oct. 7 attack on Israel and the ensuing war in Gaza derailed negotiations. Since then, Saudi Arabia has said there cannot be normalization with Israel without an independent Palestinian state.

Walz thanked Harris on X for allowing him to be her running mate, calling it the "honor and privilege" of his life. "While the outcome is not what we wanted, I am grateful to the millions of Americans who joined our campaign and stood up for our greatest ideals: decency, compassion, and love of our neighbor," he wrote. "Now more than ever, we need you to continue fighting for those values and the country we all love."

Walz did not mention Trump or Vance in the post.

Former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton congratulated Trump and Vance while saying Harris and Walz ran a "positive and forward looking campaign."

"We must remember that America is bigger than the results of any one election, and what we as citizens do now will make the difference between a nation that moves forward or one that falls back," they said in a statement. "We need to solve our problems and seize opportunities together. The future of country depends on it."

Bill Clinton was a high-profile surrogate for the Harris campaign, hitting the trail for Harris in the final weeks.

House Speaker Mike Johnson said in an interview on Fox News tonight that Republicans have "got to begin on Day One with securing the border."

Johnson, R-La., said Trump will issue an executive order on the border, adding that "we've got to come right behind him with a robust legislative agenda."

"We need real, comprehensive immigration reform," he said. "We've needed it for a long time."

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, a Democrat whose state flipped for Trump last night, acknowledged his electoral victory in a statement on X today.

"The American people have spoken," said Whitmer, who urged Trump to lead "by trying to unite people, including those who did not vote for him or support him."

NBC News projected that Trump defeated Harris in Michigan. In 2020, Biden beat Trump in the state with 50.6% of the vote to Trump's 47.8%.

The Trump transition process has been underway, and candidates to fill positions in the new administration — those requiring Senate confirmation and not — are actively being considered. NBC News has reported on who might serve in a Trump administration.

Two sources involved in the transition process said Trump is expected to place a premium on Cabinet nominees without backgrounds in government service, as opposed to sitting lawmakers. There are two reasons for that, the sources said: Trump views some of his first-term outside selections, including Steven Mnuchin and Ben Carson, as more successful — and more loyal — than lawmakers such as Jeff Sessions, Tom Price and Ryan Zinke.

Trump is also wary of special elections to replace sitting lawmakers, especially in the Senate, according to the two sources involved in the transition process.

“He doesn’t want a Roy Moore situation,” one of the sources said, referring to Republicans' losing an Alabama Senate race to replace Sessions after he became attorney general.

Harris' joint fundraising committee, the Harris Victory Fund, sent its first email to supporters after she delivered her concession speech.

The email asks supporters for donations "to ensure we have the resources to elect Democrats down the ticket ready to hold the Trump administration accountable."

Harris has said her campaign set up the fund "to protect every vote," pointing to Trump's not committing to accept election results.

Democrats called for a full party reckoning today, as they attempted to pick up the pieces of their shattered organization a day after Harris’ loss to Trump.

Interviews with more than a dozen campaign aides, strategists, elected officials and battleground state Democrats revealed a party consumed by fury, sorrow, finger-pointing and self-reflection. Many were granted anonymity so they could speak frankly about internal dynamics while emotions were still raw.

They said they see a party that drifted far from its onetime identity as the protectors of those left behind, to represent the party elites. They questioned the campaign’s decision to focus on reaching out to “soft” Republicans when they had their own issues with base voters.

Read the full story here.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., called Harris’ candidacy “historic” in a statement today after a disappointing election night for Democrats up and down the ballot.

Like Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., the former House speaker, Schumer didn’t mention Trump by name and didn’t address the Republican sweep on both sides of Pennsylvania avenue.

Instead, Schumer said Harris’ candidacy “inspired millions and her vision for a better future for all Americans will endure."

"Her advocacy on many issues — from lower costs, more affordable housing, and a fairer tax system— will continue to have strong impacts on America and on our party,” he wrote.

Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., the former House speaker, thanked Harris and Walz for their campaign this evening, saying in a statement that “they will continue to be magnificent forces for good in our country.”

Pelosi did not mention Trump by name.

“We all pray for America’s success under the next Administration,” she said. “The peaceful transfer of power is the cornerstone of our democracy.”

Following Harris’ concession speech today, Biden praised her in a statement this evening, saying selecting her as his No. 2 was “the best decision” he made.

“What America saw today was the Kamala Harris I know and deeply admire,” Biden said.

“Under extraordinary circumstances, she stepped up and led a historic campaign that embodied what’s possible when guided by a strong moral compass and a clear vision for a nation that is more free, more just, and full of more opportunities for all Americans,” he added.

In a social media post, Melania Trump wrote words of appreciation for the country after her husband was elected the 47th president of the United States.

"We will safeguard the heart of our republic — freedom.  I anticipate the citizens of our nation rejoining in commitment to each other and rising above ideology for the sake of individual liberty, economic prosperity, and security," she said.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., urged her supporters to continue fighting for their values without conceding hope.

“Donald Trump won the election, and the consequences will be real and devastating,” Warren said today in a video statement. “But I’m reminding myself and you that on the road ahead there will still be opportunities to fight back."

Warren won her third Senate term yesterday. She previously waged her own presidential campaign in 2020 before Biden became the Democratic nominee.

Peter Welch of Vermont, the first Democratic senator to call on President Joe Biden to step down over the summer, said Democrats are paying the price for straying from a focus on the economy this election.

“Democrats have strayed from focusing on the legitimate economic aspirations that all Americans, including low- and middle-income Americans, have for economic security,” Welch said in a call with NBC News. “And that is the clear reason Trump won.”

With the new landscape on Pennsylvania Avenue, Welch said, Democrats now find themselves having to work across the aisle on economic issues, affordability issues and income inequality issues.

“Many have indicated some willingness to work on this, which, in my view, Democrats have to be mindful of,” he said.

Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., criticized Democrats in a scathing statement about the presidential election results, saying the party has "abandoned" working-class voters.

Sanders said it's no surprise "that a Democratic Party which has abandoned working class people would find that the working class has abandoned them.”

Sanders, who won re-election last night, said that first the white working-class voters began leaving the party and that now it appears Latino and Black workers are doing the same.

According to the White House, President Joe Biden plans to attend Trump’s inauguration ceremony in January. NBC News' Monica Alba reports for "TODAY."

Harris tried to allay disappointment and offer words of empowerment to hundreds of supporters as she conceded the presidential election today as some of her backers wiped away tears.

“The outcome of this election is not what we wanted, not what we fought for, not what we voted for, but hear me when I say ... ‘the light of America’s promise will always burn bright,’” Harris said in remarks at her alma mater, Howard University.

Read the full story here.

The Biden administration is making contingency plans for a possible surge in border crossings ahead of a Trump presidency, as more would-be immigrants say they are concerned Trump will shut down the border, according to two U.S. officials and exchanges among immigrants on WhatsApp groups.

Monday afternoon, nearly 36 hours before Trump declared victory, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas held a virtual meeting with his top advisers and the heads of Customs and Border Protection and Immigration and Customs Enforcement, in which the participants raised concerns about what a possible Trump victory would do to border security.

Read the full story here.

The General Services Administration, which plays a large role in presidential administration transitions, said in a statement this afternoon that it has notified Trump's transition team of his eligibility for "post-election services."

"Services would include office space, IT equipment, office supplies, fleet vehicles, mail management, and payment of compensation and other expenses, and can be provided once the statutorily required agreement is signed," the GSA said.

The services are made available under the Presidential Transition Act after a concession.

The Obamas, who vigorously campaigned for Harris in the final stretch ahead of Election Day, congratulated Trump and Vance on their electoral victory in a statement today.

"This is obviously not the outcome we had hoped for, given our profound disagreements with the Republican ticket on a whole host of issues," they wrote. "But living in a democracy is about recognizing that our point of view won’t always win out, and being willing to accept the peaceful transfer of power."

The Obamas also expressed pride in Harris' and Walz's campaign efforts, describing them as "two extraordinary public servants who ran a remarkable campaign" and pointing to the pandemic and resulting price hikes as "headwinds" for Democrats.

President Joe Biden watched Harris' remarks at Howard University from the West Wing, the White House said this afternoon.

The diverse crowd at Harris' speech this afternoon at Howard University in Washington, D.C., included some women who were crying and many other supporters who were cheering and shouting that they loved the vice president as she conceded her loss and urged them to keep fighting for freedom.

Kamala Harris is projected to win three of four of Maine's electoral votes.

See the latest results here.

Harris concluded by sending a message of hope to her supporters, mentioning the light of "optimism, of faith, of truth and service."

"May that work guide us, even in the face of setbacks, toward the extraordinary promise of the United States of America," Harris said.

During her speech, Harris addressed young people, telling them it is OK to feel "sad and disappointed."

“Please know it’s gonna be OK. On the campaign. I would often say, when we fight, we win. But here’s the thing, here’s the thing — Sometimes, the fight takes a while. That doesn’t mean we won’t win,” Harris said.

Addressing the young people of the country, Harris said, "You have the capacity to do extraordinary good in the world."

She added, "To everyone who is watching: do not despair. This is not the time to throw up our hands, this is the time to roll up our sleeves ... to organize, to mobilize and to stay engaged."

Harris urged the crowd to fight for freedom and democracy in "private ways," partly by "always using our strength to life people, to fight for the dignity that all people deserve."

In her speech, Harris highlighted her pledge to fight for the "dreams, ambitions and aspirations" of Americans, including the dream, "where the women of America have the freedom to make decisions about their own body and not having their government telling them what to do."

As Harris told the crowd that she called Trump to congratulate him on his victory, boos broke out throughout the audience.

"Earlier today, I spoke with President-elect Trump and congratulated him on his victory," she said. "I also told him that we will help him and his team with their transition and that we will engage in a peaceful transfer of power."

The crowd erupted in applause at "peaceful transfer of power."

Harris emphasized that Americans "owe loyalty not to a president or to a party, but to the Constitution of the United States,” as well as “loyalty to our conscience and to our God."

She said during her concession speech that while she conceded the election, she does not concede the "fight that fueled this campaign."

Harris paid tribute to her husband, Doug Emhoff; President Biden and first lady Jill Biden; and her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz.

Harris has started her concession speech, formally ending her campaign and bowing out of the presidential race.

“Hear me when I say: The light of America's promise will always burn bright as long as we never give up and as long as we keep fighting,” Harris said.

Her remarks are taking place at her alma mater, Howard University, where supporters gathered last night to watch results roll in.

The LGBTQ youth suicide prevention and crisis intervention group The Trevor Project said in a statement that it had "an approximately a 125% increase in crisis contact volume" on Election Day through Wednesday morning compared to typical days.

“The Trevor Project wants LGBTQ+ young people to know that we are here for you, no matter the outcome of any election, and we will continue to fight for every LGBTQ+ young person to have access to safe, affirming spaces — especially during challenging times," Jaymes Black, CEO of The Trevor Project, said in the statement. "LGBTQ+ young people: your life matters, and you were born to live it."

Over 60% of LGBT respondents — all adults — said they’d be “scared” if Trump won, according to the NBC News Exit Poll.  The poll found that Harris led President-elect Trump 86% to 12% among LGBT voters.

Walz his wife, and his daughter, Hope, just walked out and took their place in front of the stage, just in front of the audience.

Next to them were Cole and Ella Emhoff, Harris' stepchildren.

Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., the former House speaker, is in the crowd gathered at Howard University to hear Harris' concession speech. Pelosi, 84, remains a key figure in the Democratic Party.

Democrat Elissa Slotkin has won the U.S. Senate race in Michigan, NBC News projects. Slotkin was able to win there even though Harris failed to take the state, convincing voters to split their tickets.

See the latest results here.

Yesterday's election was less a reflection of Trump's national appeal and more a "reminder" that the Democrats have lost touch with the communities that fueled its progress, the Uncommitted National Movement co-founders said in a statement.

Layla Elabed and Abbas Alawieh, who did not endorse Harris due to the Biden administration's support for Israel's war on Gaza, noted that the election was "profoundly personal" for Arab and Muslim Americans.

"For many in our communities, Biden’s legacy is now defined by war and grief rather than hope," they said. "In this vacuum, Trump lied and positioned himself as a “pro-peace” alternative—an illusion that has emerged from our party’s failure to see us."

Former GOP Rep. Mike Rogers called Democratic Rep. Elissa Slotkin today to concede the Michigan Senate race, Slotkin's campaign confirmed to NBC News.

“Congratulations to Congresswoman Slotkin on her victory, I wish her the best as she serves the people of Michigan in the Senate," Rogers said in a statement.

He added, "Michigan will always be home, and serving our state has been the honor of my life. While it won’t be in the U.S. Senate right now, I will continue to serve Michigan now and into the future."

NBC News has not yet projected the outcome of this race.

Partisan control of legislative chambers in a slew of battleground states remains up for grabs, with a handful of uncalled races likely to determine narrow majorities.

In Pennsylvania, where Democrats narrowly held state the House 102-101, control of the chamber remains up for grabs, according to The Associated Press. The AP isn’t projecting a change in partisan control of the state Senate — where Republicans had a 28-22 majority heading into Election Day.

In Arizona, several state House and Senate races remained uncalled by the AP, with Republicans seeking to hold on to their narrow majorities in both chambers.

Vice President Kamala Harris and President-elect Donald Trump barreled into election night with cautious optimism that their respective campaigns would prevail. Harris’ exuberant supporters gathered at Howard University, her alma mater in Washington, D.C., while Trump’s confident fans descended on a convention center in West Palm Beach, Florida.

The polling averages showed a tight race that could be decided by razor-thin margins in key battleground states like Michigan, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania. But as the first waves of returns streamed in, Trump’s advantages in the swing states quickly became clear — elating Republicans and demoralizing Democrats.

In the days leading up to the election, Trump’s team projected confidence that he would be re-elected, and by a comfortable margin. But the moment they knew they had won the race came shortly after 11 p.m. when networks began reporting a Harris campaign memo from Jen O’Malley Dillon urging supporters to go home and get some rest. 

“We knew that constituted the white flag,” a senior Trump campaign official told NBC News on Tuesday. 

The senior official said earlier in the evening, the campaign began pressuring networks and the Associated Press to call Georgia and North Carolina when their internal data showed victory near. They also saw early on that Democratic turnout in Philadelphia and Milwaukee never reached the benchmarks Harris needed. 

There was pro-MAGA spray paint outside Trump Tower in New York this morning. Trump did better in New York City on Tuesday than he has in prior elections — notching 17% of the vote that has been counted so far compared to 12% in 2020.

Arizona Democratic Rep. Ruben Gallego said that he and his team are feeling “very optimistic” about his Senate race against Republican candidate Kari Lake.

"We are closely watching as results come in, and we’re feeling very optimistic. This team has worked tirelessly to connect with Arizonans across the state, and I’m proud of the campaign we’ve run," he wrote. "While we wait for the final count, I want to thank everyone who showed up, volunteered, and supported us."

Earlier today Lake called on her supporters to ensure every vote is counted in a post on X, saying "This race is going to go down to the wire! We need ALL HANDS ON DECK to cure ballots and ensure the vote of every Arizonan counts."

Ballot measures that would have instituted ranked-choice voting failed everywhere they were on the ballot on Tuesday, except in Washington, D.C.

According to NBC News projections, a measure to implement statewide ranked-choice voting failed in Oregon, while proposals that would have implemented both ranked-choice voting and open primaries failed in Idaho and Nevada. 

NBC News hasn’t yet made a projection for proposal that would have done so in Colorado, though the “no” vote in that race led the “yes” vote 54% to 46%, with 73% of the vote counted.

Biden spoke with both Harris and Trump over the phone today, the White House said.

Biden spoke with the president-elect about his commitment to ensuring a smooth transition and invited Trump to meet with him at the White House "in the near future."

Biden also plans to address the nation tomorrow about the election results and the upcoming transition.

In a press conference this afternoon, New York Attorney General Letitia James said her office is prepared for what is to come with a new Trump administration and that they have been preparing for "several months."

"We will work with his administration, but we will not compromise our values or our integrity or our principals," James said. "We did not expect this result, but we are prepared to respond to this result."

James' office prosecuted Trump in a civil business fraud trial earlier this year, where he was fined more than $350 million dollars and barred from running businesses in the state for three years.

Harris on Wednesday called Trump "to congratulate him on winning the 2024 presidential election," a senior Harris aide told NBC News.

The aide added that Harris discussed the "importance of a peaceful transfer of power and being a president for all Americans" while on the phone with the president-elect.

In a statement, Trump campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung acknowledged the phone call between Trump and Harris, saying that Harris congratulated Trump "on his historic victory."

"President Trump acknowledged Vice President Harris on her strength, professionalism, and tenacity throughout the campaign, and both leaders agreed on the importance of unifying the country," Cheung added.

The public likely won't hear directly from Harris until this afternoon, when she's set to address supporters and the nation from Howard University in Washington, D.C.

Rapper Cardi B, who campaigned alongside Harris in the final days of the presidential race, thanked Harris for setting a positive example for young women, writing on X today, "You really put up a fight against all the odds that were already stacked against you! You never accepted defeat as an option, which says so much about your strength and your heart."

"I never thought I would see the day that a woman of color would be running for president of the United States but you have shown me, showed my daughters and women across the country that anything is possible," Cardi B added. "Thank you for being an example, thank you for being empowered, thank you for being a real example of what the American dream should be."

Harris' call to Trump today included assurances that she would work to ensure a "peaceful transfer of power, unlike what we saw in 2020," according to a memo from campaign chair Jen O’Malley Dillon.

In her role as vice president, Harris will be responsible for the election certification in January as then-Vice President Mike Pence was in 2020 when Trump's supporters stormed the Capitol in anger over his loss.

“She also made clear that she hopes he will be a President for all Americans,” the memo to campaign staff said.

In a statement early Wednesday afternoon, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries labeled the past 24 hours a "challenging electoral environment" and added, "House Democrats are once again defying political gravity."

He pointed to an open-seat victory for Democrats in Michigan's 8th District and the fact that Democrats had already flipped or were on track to flip several New York House districts previously held by Republicans.

"The House remains very much in play. The path to take back the majority now runs through too close to call pick-up opportunities in Arizona, Oregon and Iowa — along with several Democratic-leaning districts in Southern California and the Central Valley," Jeffries added. "The party that will hold the majority in the House of Representatives in January 2025 has yet to be determined. We must count every vote.”

Democrat Tammy Baldwin wins re-election to the U.S. Senate in Wisconsin, NBC News projects.

She was able to win the seat despite Harris losing her state, avoiding the red wave that wiped out some of her fellow Democrats in the Senate.

See the latest results here.

In a short post on X, E. Jean Carroll reacted to Trump's projected win of the presidency, writing, "I tried to tell you."

In May, a New York court found the former president liable for sexually abusing Carroll in a Manhattan department store in the 1990s. She was awarded $5 million in damages for defamation.

Voters in Missouri passed a ballot measure approving a gradual increase of the minimum wage, according to an NBC News projection, while the future of pair of similar measures in two other states remains uncertain.

Missouri voters approved gradually raising the state’s minimum wage to $15 per hour. 

But NBC News has yet to projected results for similar ballot measures in two other states. One in Alaska asked voters whether they approved of raising the minimum wage to $15, while another in California asked voters whether they approved of gradually raising the state’s minimum wage to $18 per hour.

Meanwhile, Arizona voters overwhelmingly rejected a constitutional amendment that would have overhauled the rules for the minimum wage for tipped workers. 

Republican Ryan Mackenzie wins U.S. House seat in Pennsylvania's 7th Congressional District, NBC News projects. He defeated Democrat Susan Wild, flipping the seat to Republican control and furthering the party's chances of holding the chamber.

See the latest results here.

Justice Department officials have been evaluating how to wind down the two federal criminal cases against President-elect Donald Trump before he takes office to comply with long-standing department policy that a sitting president can’t be prosecuted, two people familiar with the matter tell NBC News.

The latest discussions stand in contrast with the pre-election legal posture of special counsel Jack Smith, who in recent weeks took significant steps in the election interference case against Trump without regard to the electoral calendar.

But the sources say DOJ officials have come to grips with the fact that no trial is possible anytime soon in either the Jan. 6 case or the classified documents matter — both of which are mired in legal issues that would likely prompt an appeal all the way to the Supreme Court, even if Trump had lost the election.

Now that Trump will become president again, DOJ officials see no room to pursue either criminal case against him — and no point in continuing to litigate them in the weeks before he takes office, the people said.

Read the full story here.

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who may play a key role overseeing public health issues in a second Trump administration, said Wednesday that he won’t take away people’s vaccines.

“I’m not going to take away anybody’s vaccines,” Kennedy said in an interview with NBC News when asked if there are specific vaccines that he would remove from the market.

Kennedy rejected the idea that he’s “anti-vaccine” despite his repeated claims about vaccines being linked to autism — and his involvement with Children’s Health Defense, a leading anti-vaccine group — and reiterated that he wouldn’t take them away from Americans.

He will meet with senior Trump aides on Wednesday to discuss his role going forward. Kennedy said that they hadn’t decided yet what his job in the new administration would be, but he didn’t rule out secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services and also floated the idea of being a “White House health czar.”

Read the full story here.

In a statement Wednesday, Rep. Matt Cartwright, D-Pa., acknowledged his loss in his re-election bid for Pennsylvania's 8th Congressional District, saying, "I know this is is not the result we hoped for, but it has been the honor of my life to represent our community in Congress. I am so proud of everything we’ve been able to deliver for northeastern Pennsylvania."

Cartwright, who lost to Republican Rob Bresnahan, congratulated his opponent, adding, "I wish him the best as he steers northeastern Pennsylvania through the challenges ahead.”

NBC’s Steve Kornacki joins “TODAY” to break down election numbers showing Trump with notably strong support among young voters compared to Harris. Traditionally, the youth vote in presidential races tends to favor Democrats.

Trump has won the critical swing state of Michigan, NBC News projects, netting the Republican 15 Electoral College votes over Harris.

Michigan has been one of the nation’s most hotly contested battlegrounds since it helped Trump pull off a surprise victory in 2016. It had been seen as a linchpin of Harris’ path to keeping the White House in Democratic hands. No Democrat has won the White House without Michigan since Jimmy Carter in 1976.

Trump campaigned aggressively in the Upper Midwest state, which was also home to a contested Senate race, with promises to revive the domestic manufacturing that once gave the Rust Belt its name and claims that Michigan’s massive auto industry would not survive without him in power.

He was looking to flip working-class voters who may have previously identified as Democrats and to turn out low-propensity voters in rural areas, while Harris needed to maximize base turnout in major cities like Detroit while appealing to independents and some former Republicans in the suburbs.

Read the full story here.

Donald Trump is projected to win Michigan's presidential contest, besting Kamala Harris and securing the state's 15 electoral votes. See the latest results here.

Trump flipped the state, which Biden won by almost 3 percentage points in 2020, winning almost 50% of the vote at the time the race was projected.

NBC News has still not projected a winner in the state's other marquee statewide race, an open Senate race where Rep. Elissa Slotkin, a Democrat, is facing off against former GOP Rep. Mike Rogers.

New York City Mayor Eric Adams said that "abortion care will always be available in New York City for anyone who needs it," as he addressed Trump's victory in the presidential election today.

"Women can be confident that their reproductive rights are secure," Adams said. "Our city remains committed to protecting and advancing women's health care, including access to abortion care."

The mayor added that "no matter what happens across the country," reproductive care will be available "for anyone who needs it," including "women outside of this city who come here seeking the care they are denied in other places."

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum told reporters today that "it is prudent to wait" before her office recognizes Trump's victory.

"There is news that President Trump won, but in any case we are going to wait for some states to finish counting and to be able to give the official statement. We are still waiting for today," Sheinbaum said in Spanish, adding: "Let’s see how the remaining states advance and also the position of both candidates. Trump’s presidency has already been declared, but it is prudent to wait."

Sheinbaum, who herself was only elected in June and is the first woman in the country to hold the position, added that regardless of the outcome of the U.S. election, "Mexico always comes out ahead. We are a free, independent, sovereign country, and there will be good relations with the U.S., I am certain."

Marc Lotter, who served as the director of strategic communications for Donald Trump’s 2020 campaign, joined "TODAY" to discuss how Trump’s presidential campaign approaches differed across the 2016, 2020 and 2024 elections. 

Former GOP presidential candidate Nikki Haley said Trump managed to defy gravity as Harris "tanked herself" on a viral moment on ABC's "The View."

Haley note on her weekly radio show this morning that the hosts of "The View" tried to prop up Harris by asking what she would do to differentiate her administration from Biden's if elected. Harris said, "There's not a thing that comes to mind," a response that Trump and Republicans immediately seized upon as evidence that she would continue the policies of the unpopular incumbent.

"That let all of America know, this is going to be Biden 2.0 if Kamala Harris is elected," Haley said.

Trump "literally defied gravity" with his electoral win, Haley added. She pointed out that despite two assassination attempts and multiple indictments, "America still elected him."

Harris is set to speak this afternoon following her loss to Trump in the presidential race. NBC News’ Yamiche Alcindor reports on how Harris is preparing for these remarks and what message she will send.

Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., the outgoing Senate minority leader, said "one of the most gratifying results" of the election is that "the filibuster will stand."

"There won't be any new states admitted that give a partisan advantage to the other side, and we'll quit beating up the Supreme Court every time we don't like the decision they make," McConnell said.

He was referring in part to calls from some liberal Democrats to grant statehood to Puerto Rico and/or the District of Columbia.

McConnell, who has a history of disagreements with Trump, thanked the president-elect's campaign managers Chris LaCivita and Susie Wiles for helping him run a "sharper campaign" this time around.

When asked what is role would be next year, he also said, “I’ll be focused on defense. … I’m still a Reagan Republican.”

The most immediate impact of Trump’s second election victory will be on the war in Ukraine, Ian Bremmer, the founder of the political risk consultancy Eurasia Group, said in a virtual press briefing today.

“The Russians really wanted Trump, and they got him, because he said he’s going to end the war in a day,” Bremmer said. “Trump will create an ultimatum that [Ukrainian President Volodymyr] Zelenskyy, if he does not decide an end to the war, he will be cut off financially.”

Zelenskyy posted a congratulatory message to the president-elect on X earlier today, which Bremmer described as “very a-- kissy, very much required for Zelenskyy in this newfound environment.”

Whether there’s any way for Ukraine’s allies in Europe to head off an attempt by Trump to bring a swift end to the war remains to be seen, but “it’s possible the Europeans will react in a more consolidated way,” Bremmer said, pointing to strong statements from France and Poland in the past 24 hours. 

Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, who in March ended her presidential campaign, congratulated Trump “on a strong win” and called on Harris to concede.

“Now, it’s time for the American people to come together, pray for our country, and start the process of a peaceful transition,” she said on X. “That begins with Kamala Harris conceding. You can’t just talk about unity in a campaign, you have to show it regardless of the outcome.”

Harris is expected to call Trump, he aides told NBC News, and will make public remarks conceding the race at her alma mater, Howard University, at 4 p.m., the White House announced.

Haley, who was Trump’s first ambassador to the United Nations, was critical of Trump when running against him for the Republican nomination but has since put her support behind him, despite their differences.

First-time voter Esperanza Robles, 18, said moments after she cast her ballot in Reno, Nevada, that she voted for Trump primarily because of religious reasons — she doesn’t support abortion. But she also said she thought he wasn’t the perfect candidate.

"From my perspective on the world, based on my worldview, he is someone who stands for the things that I stand for," Robles said. "I don’t necessarily always like the way that he acts or the choices that he makes in the way that he interacts with people, but to me, there’s always a lesser of two evils, and the things that he stands for are better than the things that Kamala stands for."

Jeff Bezos, the billionaire Amazon founder and owner of The Washington Post, congratulated Trump on his "extraordinary political comeback and decisive victory."

"No nation has bigger opportunities," Bezos wrote in a post on X. "Wishing @realDonaldTrump all success in leading and uniting the America we all love."

Bezos drew intense criticism in recent weeks after his newspaper declined to endorse a presidential candidate this year and decided to stop making presidential endorsements altogether. The billionaire businessman, who acquired the newspaper in 2013, defended the move as an attempt to combat perceptions of media bias and restore trust among readers.

Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., tweeted today that if Republicans are able to keep their majority in the House, they'll be able to fast-track GOP priorities given that they flipped the Senate and will control the White House.

"If we hold the House, we will hit the ground running on budget reconciliation — the best vehicle to jump start the economy and help secure the border," Graham wrote on X, referring to an arcane process that would allow them to fast-track spending- and tax-related legislation without Democratic support.

Democrat Gabriel Vasquez has won re-election to the House in New Mexico's 2nd Congressional District, NBC News projects.

See the latest results here.

Arizona voters approved a ballot measure that will give state and local law enforcement greater authority to enforce immigration-related laws typically left to the federal government, NBC News projects.

With immigration emerging as a central issue this election cycle, the vote is a victory for conservatives who have long argued the federal government isn’t giving the state the resources or help it needs to protect the border and deter crossings by undocumented migrants. But the change faced fierce criticism from those who believe it will negatively harm the state’s reputation and prompt discrimination, particularly against Hispanic residents.

The lengthy ballot measure makes a number of changes to state law related to immigration. It makes it a state crime for a migrant in America illegally to submit false information to apply for a job or a public benefit; enter the state from a foreign country outside of a lawful port of entry; or refuse to return to their home country if required to by a court. It also requires a court to kick out migrants convicted of illegal entry, allowing state and local law enforcement to deliver them to federal custody.

Read the full story here.

Harris is expected to call Trump today to concede the 2024 presidential race and is also expected to speak publicly, according to two Harris aides.

Her campaign has not yet announced the exact timing of her public remarks, though she’s expected to speak later in the day at Howard University. In the meantime, she is working on her speech, one of the aides said.

President Joe Biden also plans to call Trump on Wednesday and to speak publicly about the election results, according to a White House official. 

Biden’s reaction to Trump’s victory is set to include all of the things Trump never did when Biden won in 2020 — a call to congratulate him, an invitation to the White House and an offer to attend his inauguration, the White House official said.

Read the full story here.

Voter frustration with their economic lives was central in propelling Trump to a second term. Now, it will be up to the former president to try to change that trajectory and deliver on his sweeping promises of economic revival. 

Trump will inherit an economy already on relatively solid footing. Inflation has slowed and wages have begun to catch up with higher prices. While companies aren’t hiring at the same breakneck pace as they were coming out of the pandemic, the job market remains strong by historic standards, with low unemployment and around one job opening for every person looking for work. 

But despite the signs of strength in the economy, the cost of living and overall dissatisfaction with the economy was repeatedly cited as a top concern by voters heading into the election.

Trump has floated a wide range of proposals that he says would improve America’s financial picture. Here are the ways some of those proposals could play out on the economy:

Read the full story here.

House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., celebrated what he predicted would be a "unified government" under Republican control, boasting that he and his supporters had "predicted all along" this result.

“This historic election has proven that a majority of Americans are eager for secure borders, lower costs, peace through strength, and a return to common sense," Johnson said in a statement. "As more results come in it is clear that, as we have predicted all along, Republicans are poised to have unified government in the White House, Senate, and House."

By late Wednesday morning, NBC News had not declared the Republicans winners of a House majority. The party has flipped blue seats in Ohio, West Virginia and Montana to secure a Senate majority.

NBC News declared Trump winner of the White House at about 5:31 a.m. ET.

Trump just won the presidency, and NBC News projects that Republicans will control the Senate, giving him a clear path in the upper chamber to enact policies and fill key slots in his administration.

But the race for the House is still extremely close; Republicans are hoping for a trifecta to control Washington, but a Democratic win could provide a check on Trump’s agenda.

Here’s a brief overview of what is expected to be top of mind for Trump when he is set to be inaugurated on Jan. 20.

Read the full story here.

This morning, the Trump legal team is evaluating its next steps for how to get his four criminal cases resolved. His lawyers are not trying to rush strategic calls, but crystal clear they plan to argue soon all of these cases “must stop immediately,” according to a source directly involved in the discussions.

Their position is that as president-elect, Trump’s status has now meaningfully changed, and for the Justice Department in particular, there are serious constitutional concerns with moving forward with the two federal cases.

LONDON — Trump’s return to power could dramatically alter the course of the wars raging in the Middle East and Europe.

From the rubble of Israel’s deadly military campaigns in the Gaza Strip and southern Lebanon to the battlefields of eastern Ukraine, where Russian forces are advancing, the United States’ election has for months hung over these conflicts involving allies dependent on support from Washington.

Celebrations quickly rang out in Israel on Wednesday, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu among the first world leaders to congratulate Trump on what he labeled “history’s greatest comeback” — a jubilant reaction that may fuel concerns of further escalation as the country presses its offensive in northern Gaza and prepares for an Iranian retaliatory attack.

Another U.S. ally will likely be feeling less emboldened.

Ukrainian officials offered their own praise of Trump, but now face an even more uncertain future given doubts over whether he will maintain the Biden administration’s support for the country’s ailing defense — now facing North Korean troops bolstering the Kremlin’s quest to up the pressure on Kyiv to agree to unfavorable terms. 

Read the full story here.

Massachusetts voters defeated a ballot measure that would gradually increase the wage of tipped employees until it meets the state minimum wage in 2029 while continuing to permit tipping.

See the latest results here.

Trump has said that he will not incorporate his children into his new administration, unlike his first term in office, where his daughter Ivanka Trump and son-in-law, Jared Kushner, served as key advisers. In an interview with Fox News, Trump said, “It’s too painful for the family. My family has been through hell.” NBC’s Kate Snow reports for “TODAY.”

Arizona voters defeated a measure that would require open primaries.

See the latest results here.

Arizona voters defeated a ballot measure that would require partisan primaries.

See the latest results here.

Arizona voters approved a ballot measure that would allow for state and local police to enforce immigration laws and would increase penalties for the sale of fentanyl.

See the latest results here.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responded quickly to Donald Trump’s election victory with effusive praise for the president-elect. 

Many have suggested that he didn’t want to sign a cease-fire deal with either Hamas in Gaza or Hezbollah in Lebanon and was waiting for Trump to return to power. 

Netanyahu has made it clear on multiple occasions what he wants to happen with Iran. Many people I’ve spoken to, including a former director of Israel’s spy agency Mossad, believe that he wants to go to war with Iran and regime change in the country.  

President Joe Biden hasn’t supported broad military action against Iran. Before the recent Israeli strikes on the country, he told the Israelis not to hit oil facilities and the nuclear sites. Well, now that could change. 

Democrat Denny Heck has won re-election as Washington's lieutenant governor, NBC News projects.

See the latest results here.

Democrat Nick Brown has won Washington's attorney general race, NBC News projects.

See the latest results here.

NBC News projects that Kyra Bolden has won the Michigan race for state Supreme Court, beating Patrick O'Grady.

See the latest results here.

With Election Day concluded, it remains true that the country’s election infrastructure “has never been more secure,” said Jen Easterly, the director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, in a statement.

CISA officials have repeated since before the election that despite minor hiccups like faulty voting machines and inclement weather, there was no threat to U.S. election infrastructure that had a meaningful impact on election results.

Easterly’s statement did not address the dozens of emailed bomb threats across Georgia, Michigan and Wisconsin, none of which were deemed credible but which did result in many polling places being temporarily evacuated. 

The Dow Jones opened with record highs Wednesday after Trump won back the White House. NBC’s Christine Romans joins "TODAY" to discuss how Trump’s stance on the economy and support from Tesla CEO Elon Musk played a role in his campaign victory.

A movement that sought to punish Harris at the polls for the Biden administration’s support for Israel’s war in Gaza said Democrats only have themselves to blame for their preventable defeat.

In a statement today, the Abandon Harris campaign, made up of Muslim activists, said Democrats betrayed their base and abandoned hundreds of thousands of Palestinians by backing Israel. 

“The truth is, a Trump presidency didn’t have to be inevitable. Democrats had every opportunity to win this election with ease,” the group said. “The Democrats made their choice, and they alone are responsible for what happened last night and the consequences it will bring to this country.”

Abandon Harris urged Trump to immediately call for an arms embargo and a permanent cease-fire, adding that it understands “full well that Palestinians will not see relief under another administration.”

Democrat Elaine Marshall has won re-election in North Carolina’s secretary of state race, NBC News projects.

See the latest results here.

Democrat Rachel Hunt has won North Carolina’s lieutenant governor’s race, NBC News projects.

See the latest results here.

NBC News has projected that Trump will be the 47th president of the United States. NBC News’ Kelly O’Donnell, Ryan Nobles and Chuck Todd report on what the win means for Trump and the Republican Party.

Ten states floated ballot measures designed to protect or expand abortion access, and in each of those states the measures received a larger share of the vote than Harris did.

Sen. Bob Casey, the Pennsylvania Democrat in a tight race with Republican David McCormick, expressed confidence that he will win once all the votes are counted.

NBC News has not yet projected a winner in the race.

“There are more votes that need to be counted in areas like Philadelphia, and it’s important that every legal ballot will be counted,” a Casey spokesperson, Maddy McDaniel, said in a statement. “When that happens we are confident the senator will be re-elected.”

Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Whatley celebrated Trump’s White House return and said his side of the aisle “is Donald Trump’s party.”

Whatley called Tuesday night’s victory a “fundamental realignment of American politics” with “a historic shift with Black voters, with Asian voters, with Hispanic voters.”

“Absolutely across the country, this is Donald Trump’s party, and we are very happy that there is going to be a focus on America and there’s going to be a focus on American families,” Whatley told Fox News.

Exit polls showed Trump made big strides with Latino voters, who went 53% to 45% to Harris after going 66-32 for Biden four years ago.

Straphangers, including one with a bright red Trump cap, are absorbed in their phones this morning, the day after the election.

Gathered around a television screen in a makeshift shelter in the city of Khan Younis in central Gaza, Palestinians could be seen closely watching the U.S. election results in video captured by NBC News' crew on the ground.

Some expressed deep concern over Trump's apparent victory, reminded of his support for Israel during his 2016 term, while others said they hoped the Republican might be the one to bring more than a year of war in Gaza to an end.

"He was the biggest supportive president in the whole world to Israel," said Mohamad Oudeh, a 25-year-old medical student. "So, I didn't think that Trump will be a good president and will be supportive to us as Palestinians living here in Gaza."

"But after hearing his speech and elective campaign ... he always promised that he will give peace and bring peace here," he said. "I hope he will be honest after everything he said."

With his projected 2024 win, Trump is expected to make immigration and the economy his top priorities. NBC News’ Hallie Jackson, Savannah Guthrie, Kristen Welker, Hoda Kotb, Ryan Nobles, Maggie Vespa and Christine Romans report on the policies Trump is expected to take on during his presidency.

Inside Philadelphia’s ballot processing center, black bags that contain the paper backups for every in-person vote in the county are piled up. The paper backups are kept in storage at the facility in case they are needed for audits or recounts.

The U.S. election was a spectacle around the world, as people gathered to watch rolling coverage at parties from Bangkok to London.

Bars and restaurants were packed all through the night, with cocktails and cakes served as revelers posed with cardboard cutouts of the candidates at venues decked out with U.S. flags and political regalia.

Watch parties organized by supporters from both sides were held in Europe, the Middle East and Asia, with crowds of expats tuning in to witness Donald Trump’s victory. At the Stafford hotel in London, Republican supporters celebrated in the upscale “American Bar” in the historic St. James’s district as Trump appeared close to victory in the early hours of the morning.

Across town, a crowd of young election enthusiasts cheered beneath the blue light of a big screen at the Lexington.

Harris is expected to call Trump today to concede and is expected to speak publicly, according to two Harris aides. Timing is TBD. In the meantime, Harris is working on her speech, one aide said.

Biden also plans to call Trump today and to speak publicly about the election results, according to a White House official. Timing for both the call and Biden’s remarks is to be determined.

Biden’s approach to Trump’s victory is going to be to do all the things Trump never did when Biden won in 2020 — call to congratulate him, invite him to the White House and attend his inauguration, the White House official said. (The White House has said publicly Biden would attend the inauguration if Trump won.)

Vice President-elect JD Vance thanked his wife, Donald Trump and voters for propelling him from the Senate to the White House.

His election victory capped a remarkable transformation for Vance, a onetime Trump critic who once reportedly compared his now-boss to Hitler.

Former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., told "TODAY" that Trump’s winning of both the Electoral College and the popular vote showed he had “expanded the Republican Party” to include more Hispanic and Black male voters.

"Policy matters. People vote on it," McCarthy said. "When you're carrying 41% of the Hispanic vote, 25% of Black males, we haven't seen those type of numbers for almost 50 years for Republicans," he added.

U.S. Capitol Police have identified the man they arrested yesterday for allegedly trying to enter the Capitol Visitor Center with a flare gun and what appeared to be accelerant.

Austin M. Olson, 28, of Westland, Michigan, was arrested on charges of possession of a prohibited weapon, unlawful activities and disorderly conduct, Capitol Police said. They also said officers searched him and found what appears to be a manifesto and a letter to Congress about his opinions on the war in the Middle East.

According to police, just before 12:30 p.m. yesterday, Olson walked into the visitor center and into a line to be screened by police. Capitol officers ordered him to put his jacket and bag through the X-ray machine and spotted items that they said appeared suspicious. After a hand search, they recovered a flare gun, a torch lighter and two bottles of fuel. Olson also smelled like he had doused part of his clothing with fuel.

Investigators are still trying to determine why he came to the Capitol with the items, police said.

Democrat Mondaire Jones has conceded to Republican Rep. Mike Lawler in New York's 17th Congressional District.

"Unfortunately, the environment hasn’t changed much in New York since 2022, and it is always extremely difficult to unseat an incumbent," Jones said in a statement. "The data clearly show that this is not the same district Biden would have won by 10 points in the last presidential election. At this juncture, it is unclear whether Vice President Harris will win this district at all. Then there’s the Congressional Leadership Fund, the top GOP super PAC for House candidates, which spent more money against me distorting my record than against any other congressional candidate in the country."

He added that despite his loss and Trump's return to the White House, he remains "optimistic about America's future."

In an interview this morning, Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., referred to Ukraine's fight against Russian invaders as a "stalemate war" and signaled the new Republican majority in the Senate won't support it financially.

“I think the Ukrainians have been incredibly brave and strong in standing up to Russia. But at the end of the day, what we are funding here is a stalemate war, and needs to be brought to a conclusion,” Rubio told "TODAY." "I think there has to be some common sense here."

Trump and his running mate, Ohio Sen. JD Vance, have been critical of the large sums of money the U.S. has sent to Ukraine to bolster its defense, and the new Senate majority appears likely to follow their lead. Rubio said Trump — who has claimed he could end the fighting there in 24 hours — "wants the war to end."

"You don't have to be a fan of Vladimir Putin to want the war to end," Rubio said. "It's going to take Ukraine 100 years to rebuild that country."

President-elect Donald Trump’s campaign can be marked by his historic appeal to young white men and Latinos, whose votes he helped to secure with an appearance on Joe Rogan's podcast.

NBC’s Hallie Jackson and Kristen Welker, the moderator of "Meet the Press," joined "TODAY" to analyze Trump’s demographic.