At 2:25 am, Donald Trump gazed out at his jubilant supporters wearing "Make America great again" hats. He was surrounded by his wife, Melania, and his children, the stars and stripes, and giant banners that proclaimed "Dream big again" and "Trump will fix it!"
"We're going to help our country heal," Trump vowed. "We have a country that needs help, and it needs help very badly. We're going to fix our borders; we're going to fix everything about our country, and we've made history for a reason tonight, and the reason is going to be just that."
Having risen from the political dead, the president-elect was already looking ahead to what he called the "golden age of America"—a country that had just shifted sharply to the right. And at its core was the promise of Trump unleashed: a radical expansion of presidential power.
The 45th and 47th commander-in-chief will face fewer limits on his ambition when he is sworn in again in January. He returns as the head of a Republican party remade in his image over the past decade and as the architect of a right-leaning judiciary that helped eliminate his legal perils. Second time around, he has allies across Washington ready to enforce his will.
Kurt Bardella, a Democratic strategist and former Republican congressional aide, said: "What we're going to have is an imperial presidency. This is going to be probably the most powerful presidency in terms of centralizing power and wielding power that we've had probably since FDR [Franklin D Roosevelt, president from 1933 to 1945]."
This story is from the November 09, 2024 edition of The Guardian.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the November 09, 2024 edition of The Guardian.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Explained What is the Kumbh Mela holy gathering?
What is the Kumbh Mela? The Kumbh Mela is the world's largest religious gathering, widely seen as the \"festival of festivals\" in the Hindu religious calendar.
Electric cars Ministers mull guarantee on loans for EVS
The government is reportedly considering subsidising purchases of electric vehicles by guaranteeing consumer loans, as it looks at ways to boost sales that are failing to reach official targets.
Abramovich may owe HMRC £1bn for unpaid taxes, analysis suggests
The billionaire Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich may owe the HMRC in Britain as much as £1bn, according to analysis of documents that suggests his companies failed to pay tax on profits from an elaborate offshore investment scheme.
Police blamed as crush kills dozens of pilgrims at Hindu festival in India
At least 30 people have been killed and scores injured in crowd crushes at the Kumbh Mela festival, Indian police have confirmed, as vast numbers of people went to bathe at one of the holiest sites of the Hindu gathering.
Car production in UK slides to lowest level for seven decades
British car production fell to its lowest level in seven decades in 2024, barring the coronavirus pandemic, as the industry struggles with weak demand and prepares to shift away from fossil fuels to electric vehicles.
Stage review A spine-chilling wheeze that's destined to linger
Inside No 9: Stage/Fright Wyndham's theatre, London
Syria Rebel leader Sharaa appointed transitional president
The former leader of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), the Islamist rebel group that led the military operation to topple the Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad last month, has been appointed president of the country for a \"transitional period\".
Coraline musical cancelled after allegations against Neil Gaiman
A stage version of Neil Gaiman's Coraline was cancelled yesterday after allegations of sexual misconduct against the author.
Water bills to increase by average of £123 from April
Water bills will rise by an average of £123 this year in the biggest hit to customer pockets since the industry was privatised 36 years ago, as the public pays to replace ageing infrastructure and cut record sewage pollution.
NHS to offer thousands with severe dust mite allergy daily pill
Thousands of people in England with severe dust mite allergy are to be offered a first-of-its-kind daily pill on the NHS to treat the condition.
