2024 US Election Results Live Updates: Triumphant Trump returns to White House, meets Joe Biden

Outgoing US President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping will meet Saturday at the APEC summit in Peru, in what will likely be their last encounter before Donald Trump returns to the White House, US officials said.

"We expect this will be their last meeting as presidents. With that in mind, we expect the president will use the opportunity to take stock of efforts to responsibly manage competition," a senior US administration official told reporters Wednesday, AFP reported.

At the White House on Wednesday, President Joe Biden welcomed president-elect Donald Trump with a cordial handshake in the Oval Office. Both leaders committed to ensuring an orderly transfer of power between the Democratic and Republican administrations. Biden offered his congratulations to Trump on his victory.

Trump remarked, "politics is tough" and not always a nice world "but it is a nice world today".

The president-elect's arrival at the White House for his meeting with President Biden occurred slightly later than scheduled.

US President-elect Donald Trump suggested Wednesday that he could be open to a constitution-breaking third term in office, in remarks made to House Republicans ahead of the start of his second term.

"I suspect I won't be running again unless you say, 'He's good, we got to figure something else,'" Trump provocatively told his audience in a downtown Washington hotel, drawing some laughter from supporters.

President-elect Donald Trump is set to meet President Joe Biden at the White House on Wednesday for a customary Oval Office meeting, marking the formal transition of power - a practice Trump opted to skip in 2020. Concurrently, the control of the House remains undecided with results pending in twelve constituencies. Trump made his first appearance before Republican leadership in Washington following his victory in the 2024 presidential election.

"It's always nice to win," Trump said.

The electoral tally showed Trump securing 312 votes against Democrat Kamala Harris's 226. At a Republican conference held at a Washington hotel on Wednesday morning, Trump received an enthusiastic reception from House GOP leaders.

House Speaker Mike Johnson announced: "Ladies and gentlemen please stand for the 47th President of the United States."

Billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk is expected to join President-elect Donald Trump at the meeting of U.S. House of Representatives' Republicans on Wednesday morning, the New York Times and CNN reported, citing unnamed sources familiar with the plan.

American entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy on Wednesday said that "massive downsizing" is the only effective way to amend the unlawful behavior of the administrative state. His statement came after US President-elect Donald Trump announced that Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk and Ramaswamy would lead the "Department of Government Efficiency" (DOGE).

Trump released an official statement on Musk and Ramaswamy leading DOGE on the social media platform X.

Italian borrowing costs rose at an auction on Wednesday following a surge in global bond yields spurred by Donald Trump's victory in the US presidential election.

The Treasury sold the maximum planned amount offered of 8.25 billion euros ($8.77 billion) over four bonds.

News media 'The Guardian quit 'X' on Wednesday, days after US presidential election results, terming it a 'toxic media platform' and accusing its owner, Elon Musk, of using "its influence to shape political discourse".

"We wanted to let readers know that we will no longer post on any official Guardian editorial accounts on the social media site X (formerly Twitter). We think that the benefits of being on X are now outweighed by the negatives and that resources could be better used promoting our journalism elsewhere," The Guardian said in a statement.

The United States wants real and extended pauses in fighting in Gaza so assistance can get to people who need it, but the best way to help people would be to end the war, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said.

"Israel, by the standards it set itself, has accomplished the goals that it set for itself," Blinken told reporters during a visit to Brussels. "This should be a time to end the war."

The United States plans to enhance its military assistance to Ukraine during President Biden's remaining term, as announced by Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Wednesday, following Russia's complex aerial assault on Kyiv using missiles and drones.

Speaking at Nato headquarters before scheduled discussions with allied representatives and Ukrainian officials, Blinken affirmed the US commitment to strengthen all forms of support to ensure Ukraine's effective defence against Russian military actions.

Blinken also issued a stern warning regarding North Korea's deployment of soldiers to fight alongside Russian forces, stating that such action "demands and will get a firm response." He provided no additional details about potential consequences.

President-elect Donald Trump is returning triumphantly to Washington.

President Joe Biden shall host him at the White House on Wednesday for a customary Oval Office meeting, which symbolises the orderly transfer of power - a convention that Trump opted not to follow four years prior.

Trump's schedule includes meetings with Congressional Republicans to discuss his immediate priorities and strategise for potential unified governance, given the Republican Party's growing influence in the capital. His presence during Republican congressional leadership elections could significantly influence their results.

This marks a remarkable return to the centre of American governance for the former president. Despite leaving office as a politically weakened figure following the January 6, 2021 Capitol incident, he now prepares to resume power with what he and his Republican colleagues perceive as a clear governing directive.

Following last week's events, US President Joe Biden's attendance at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum in Peru on Thursday could have been markedly different, with an opportunity to demonstrate assurance and promise continued engagement from his successor with Latin American allies. However, this is not the case.

The situation mirrors the 2016 Apec summit in Lima, Peru, where a Democratic president's final months were overshadowed by Donald Trump's electoral success, affecting the proceedings of this significant gathering of international leaders.

With Trump's "America First" policy potentially returning, analysts indicate that Biden faces limitations in strengthening the United States' presence during his inaugural presidential visit to South America. This circumstance allows China and President Xi Jinping to command attention in what traditionally has been considered the US sphere of influence.

In Peru, President Xi's initial engagement involves launching a £1 billion megaport project, demonstrating China's growing regional presence. The investment is anticipated to reach £2.8 billion in the coming ten years.

A prominent Indian American Republican leader has attributed Donald Trump's rise to power to the silent majority's discontent with ongoing conflicts and rising inflation, expressing optimism about his upcoming second term. Trump, aged 78, secured the US presidency on November 6, marking a remarkable political resurgence in American history, following his 2020 electoral defeat that triggered unprecedented unrest at the US Capitol. In this fiercely contested election, the Republican candidate emerged victorious against Democratic opponent Kamala Harris.

Jasdip Singh Jassee, who established Sikhs for Trump, shared his insights with PTI, saying, "We have been forecasting this (a Trump victory). We were seeing it in the ground movement. There was a silent majority. This was a result of America's lost foreign policies, the domestic inflation, out-of-control crime, out-of-control illegal immigration, poor infrastructure, and the Biden-Harris administration focusing on social issues that were not relevant with the masses,"

Following his appointment to lead the department of government efficiency (DOGE) on Tuesday for the Trump Administration, along with Tesla CEO Elon Musk, Indian-origin Vivek Ramaswamy has said that he will be withdrawing his nomination from the Senate appointment in Ohio.

Taking to social media platform X on Wednesday, Ramaswamy said that whoever Ohio Governor Mike DeWine picks for the position of the Senate had some "big shoes to fill" after it was left vacant by US vice president-elect JD Vance, who was the former Senate of the state.

"And yes, this means I'm withdrawing myself from consideration for the pending Senate appointment in Ohio. Whoever Governor DeWine appoints to JD's seat has some big shoes to fill. I will help them however I can," Ramaswamy said.

Antony Blinken, the US secretary of state, embarked on an urgent visit to Brussels on Tuesday to engage with European partners regarding Ukraine's support ahead of Donald Trump's anticipated White House tenure.

The senior US diplomat, serving under President Joe Biden's administration, is scheduled for Wednesday meetings "with his Nato and European Union counterparts to discuss support for Ukraine in its defense against Russia's aggression," according to state department spokesman Matthew Miller's statement.

The upcoming November 5 election of Trump, alongside Germany's political turmoil, has intensified European concerns about the continuity of Ukraine's support in its defence against Russian forces.

As US President-elect Donald Trump prepares to take office for his second term, he has announced a series of strategic appointments to shape his administration, favoring those who were loyal allies throughout his 2024 campaign.

Former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee has been tapped as the next US Ambassador to Israel. Huckabee, a longstanding supporter of Israel, will take on a diplomatic role in line with Trump's pledge to bolster US-Israel relations amid ongoing Middle East tensions.

Mike Huckabee, the ex-governor of Arkansas and Donald Trump's choice for Israeli ambassador, has consistently demonstrated unwavering backing for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu whilst opposing Palestinian sovereignty over territories previously captured by Israel.

As a former television presenter and Baptist minister, Huckabee regularly travels to Israel and has expressed interest in purchasing a holiday property there. He has consistently maintained Israel's rightful ownership of the West Bank, stating that "the title deed was given by God to Abraham and to his heirs."

His advocacy for a single-state arrangement stands in direct opposition to the United States' established diplomatic position supporting the future creation of a Palestinian state.

Regarding the October 7 Hamas assault, Huckabee characterised it as "horrific" and "beyond anything I've ever witnessed in my lifetime," whilst emphasising the necessity for steadfast American support of Israel.

US President-elect Donald Trump on Tuesday said Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk will lead a so-called Department of Government Efficiency alongside American entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy.

"Together, these two wonderful Americans will pave the way for my Administration to dismantle Government Bureaucracy, slash excess regulations, cut wasteful expenditures, and restructure Federal Agencies - Essential to the 'Save America' Movement," Trump said in a statement.

US President-elect Donald Trump announced Tuesday that his former director of national intelligence John Ratcliffe will lead the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) when the Republican takes back the White House in January.

"He will be a fearless fighter for the Constitutional Rights of all Americans, while ensuring the Highest Levels of National Security, and PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH," Trump said in a statement.

House Speaker Mike Johnson said Tuesday that Republicans are “ready to deliver” President-elect Donald Trump's agenda after his election victory, insisting the GOP won't make the mistakes of last time and will be much better prepared for a second-term Trump White House.

Standing on the steps of the U.S. Capitol with the House GOP leadership team, the speaker said there would be no time wasted before work begins on Trump's “America First” agenda of securing the southern border, projecting strength on the world stage and ending “wokeness and radical gender ideology.” He expects Republicans will lead a unified government, even though House control is still too early to call.

“We are ready to deliver on America's mandate,” said Johnson.

“We will be ready day one. We are prepared this time.”

With the Capitol behind his group, he said, “We’re going to raise an ‘America First’ banner above this place."

Before he comes back for good on Inauguration Day, Donald Trump will return to the White House briefly at the invitation of Democratic President Joe Biden, who had hoped to defeat his Republican predecessor a second time and reside there for four more years.

That may make for an awkward encounter, especially given that, after Biden ousted Trump in 2020, Trump offered no such White House invitation to Biden. Trump even left Washington before the Jan. 20, 2021, inauguration, becoming the first president to do so since Andrew Johnson skipped the 1869 swearing-in of Ulysses S. Grant.

Biden also has the unusual distinction of having beaten Trump in one cycle and run against him for about 15 months during this year’s campaign. As he sought reelection, Biden constantly decried Trump as a threat to democracy and the nation’s core values before leaving the race in July and endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris, who took on her own campaign and lost on Election Day.

When the two meet in the Oval Office on Wednesday, it’ll technically be the first time since 1992 that an outgoing president sits down with an incoming one he competed against in a campaign. Back then, Republican President George H.W. Bush met with Democrat and President-elect Bill Clinton about two weeks after they squared off on Election Day.

On Donald Trump's election as next US president, British High Commissioner to India, Lindy Cameron says, "So PM Keir Starmer has spoken to President-elect Trump, and congratulated him. The UK and the US share a long and strategic partnership, really built on foundations of security, military, intelligence cooperation. And it's great to see that they've had that conversation already, and we also know that that President-elect Trump has been a great supporter of the special relationship with the UK, and we expect to see that continuing. And also, of course, our prime minister and our Foreign Secretary spoke in person to him when they were over earlier. And I think there's those people-to-people connections really matter."

A judge is due to decide Tuesday whether to undo President-elect Donald Trump’s conviction in his hush money case because of a U.S. Supreme Court ruling on presidential immunity.

New York Judge Juan M. Merchan, who presided over Trump's historic trial, is now tasked with deciding whether to toss out the jury verdict and order a new trial — or even dismiss the charges altogether. The judge's ruling also could speak to whether the former and now future commander-in-chief will be sentenced as scheduled Nov. 26.

The Republican won back the White House a week ago but the legal question concerns his status as a past president, not an impending one.

A jury convicted Trump in May of falsifying business records related to a $130,000 payment to porn actor Stormy Daniels in 2016. The payout was to buy her silence about claims that she had sex with Trump.

He says they didn’t, denies any wrongdoing and maintains the prosecution was a political tactic meant to harm his latest campaign.

Just over a month after the verdict, the Supreme Court ruled that ex-presidents can’t be prosecuted for actions they took in the course of running the country, and prosecutors can’t cite those actions even to bolster a case centered on purely personal conduct.

Trump’s lawyers cited the ruling to argue that the hush money jury got some evidence it shouldn't have, such as Trump’s presidential financial disclosure form and testimony from some White House aides.

Prosecutors disagreed and said the evidence in question was only “a sliver” of their case.

Trump's criminal conviction was a first for any ex-president. It left the 78-year-old facing the possibility of punishment ranging from a fine or probation to up to four years in prison.

The case centered on how Trump accounted for reimbursing his personal attorney for the Daniels payment.

The lawyer, Michael Cohen, fronted the money. He later recouped it through a series of payments that Trump’s company logged as legal expenses. Trump, by then in the White House, signed most of the checks himself.

Prosecutors said the designation was meant to cloak the true purpose of the payments and help cover up a broader effort to keep voters from hearing unflattering claims about the Republican during his first campaign.

Trump said that Cohen was legitimately paid for legal services, and that Daniels’ story was suppressed to avoid embarrassing Trump’s family, not to influence the electorate.

Trump was a private citizen — campaigning for president, but neither elected nor sworn in — when Cohen paid Daniels in October 2016. He was president when Cohen was reimbursed, and Cohen testified that they discussed the repayment arrangement in the Oval Office.

Trump has been fighting for months to overturn the verdict and could now seek to leverage his status as president-elect. Although he was tried as a private citizen, his forthcoming return to the White House could propel a court to step in and avoid the unprecedented spectacle of sentencing a former and future president.

While urging Merchan to nix the conviction, Trump also has been trying to move the case to federal court. Before the election, a federal judge repeatedly said no to the move, but Trump has appealed.

Democrats secured a seat in Louisiana’s newly drawn 6th Congressional District with State Sen Cleo Fields’ victory, according to The Associated Press. Fields, a prominent Democratic figure from Baton Rouge, won more than 50 per cent of the vote in an open primary, avoiding a runoff election.

Fields’ win ensures that Louisiana will have another Black representative in Congress, strengthening the Democratic Party as control of the US House remains uncertain.

This victory follows a legal challenge to Louisiana’s congressional map, which Black voters argued undermined their voting power. The new district, which spans from Baton Rouge to Shreveport, was designed to increase Black voter representation, making up 54% of the district’s population.

Fields previously served in Congress from 1993 to 1997, before his district was eliminated following a court-ordered redrawing of the map. He later returned to the state Senate after an unsuccessful run for governor. The race included four other Black candidates, but Fields emerged as the most prominent.

President-elect Donald Trump's Republican Party will control both houses of Congress when he takes office in January, Decision Desk HQ projected on Monday, enabling him to push an agenda of slashing taxes and shrinking the federal government.

Republicans had already secured a U.S. Senate majority of at least 52-46, Edison Research projected, and DDHQ projected they would hold at least 218 seats in the House of Representatives, with eight races yet to be called in Tuesday's election.

During his first presidential term in 2017-2021, Trump's biggest achievement was sweeping tax cuts that are due to expire next year.

That legislation and Democratic President Joe Biden's signature $1 trillion infrastructure law both came during periods when their parties controlled both chambers of Congress.

By contrast, during the past two years of divided government, Biden has had little success in passing legislation and Congress has struggled to perform its most basic function of providing the money needed to keep the government open.

The thin Republican House majority has been fractious, tossing out its first speaker, Kevin McCarthy, and routinely bucking his successor Speaker Mike Johnson.

Trump's grip on the party and particularly its raucous hardliners has been far firmer - as evidenced by his success earlier this year killing a bipartisan deal that would have sharply stepped up border security.

His power will also be backed by a Supreme Court with a 6-3 conservative majority that includes three justices he appointed.

More immediately, the Republicans' victory is certain to influence the House's post-election "lame duck" session.

The current Congress faces end-of-year deadlines for funding the government to avoid shutdowns at Christmas and extending Washington's borrowing authority to avoid an historic debt default.

One possible scenario is passing temporary patches to give the incoming Trump administration a say on these two controversial items when it assumes power from the Biden administration on Jan. 20. The new Congress convenes on Jan. 3.

US President-elect Donald Trump has selected Republican Senator Marco Rubio to serve as secretary of state, according to a New York Times report on Monday. The decision, cited by three people familiar with the matter, marks Rubio's elevation to one of the nation’s top diplomatic posts. Known for his strong conservative stance on foreign policy, Rubio is expected to play a key role in shaping the new administration's international agenda. The formal announcement is anticipated soon as Trump continues building his cabinet in preparation for his upcoming term.

US President-elect Donald Trump on Monday picked Florida representative Mike Waltz as his national security adviser, according to various reports citing sources.

Investors are piling into bullish options bets on Tesla shares, with the stock hitting its highest level in more than two years on bets that CEO Elon Musk’s close ties to President-elect Donald Trump may benefit the electric car maker.

Tesla’s shares were up about 8% to $346.12 on Monday and have rallied more than 35% since the Nov. 5 election. They now stand at their highest level since April 2022.

Tesla's contracts were the most heavily traded options on individual stocks on Monday, with some 2.5 million contracts changing hands by noon - more than twice the usual pace, according to Trade Alert.

"It's euphoric," said Steve Sosnick, chief strategist at Interactive Brokers. "Tesla is by far the most active option at our shop.”

He noted a heavy concentration of call contracts at the $400 level, some 13% above the stock’s current price. Trade Alert data showed much of the trading concentrated in near-term contracts, with options expiring by Friday making up about 56% of the total trading volume.

Musk has supported Trump for months and contributed at least $119 million to a pro-Trump spending group, federal records show. The billionaire’s business ventures, which in addition to Tesla EVs range from SpaceX rockets to Neuralink brain chips, depend heavily on regulation, subsidies and policy, and analysts said they could benefit from a friendly administration. (Reuters)