• Republican Donald Trump is set to become the 47th President of the USA. This will be his second term as the President.

• The Republican party crossed the majority mark of 270 by securing 277 votes. While, Democratic party trailed at 224 leading to the defeat of Vice President Kamala Harris. 

• Trump, in his victory speech, claimed that America is entering a 'golden age' and promised to 'make America great again'. Harris, on the other hand, postponed her speech till tomorrow.

• Donald Trump, in his historic win, secured four out of seven battleground states including North Carolina, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and Georgia. Although final results are yet to be out, he is leading in other three swing states as well.

• Although Democrats lost the presidential race, one of their major proposals - abortion rights, got approved in seven states.

• Democratic candidate and Delaware state senator Sarah McBride became the first transgender person to be elected to Congress by defeating Republican John Whalen III.

With polls set to close in another 20 mins across the 50 states and Washington DC, the final ballots are being cast to decide if Kamala Harris or Donald Trump will be the next President-elect and take oath as POTUS in January 2025.

Polls opened between 7 AM ET to 8 AM ET across the United States for around 244 eligible voters.

While votes from all 50 states matter, the seven swing states will determine if Harris or Trump wins the race. The key battleground states for the 2024 elections are -

1. Nevada

2. Michigan

3. Pennsylvania

4. Wisconsin

5. Arizona

6. North Carolina

7. Georgia

Across these seven states, a total of 93 Electoral College votes are up for grab, with 19 coming from Pennsylvania. It is these swing states that will ultimately seal the US Presidential Elections.

Read more about the 7 Swing States on Outlook here.

Staying true to patterns, former President and Republican candidate Donald Trump has already started alleging voter fraud. Taking to his social media account - TRUTH SOCIAL - Trump alleged that "massive cheatng" is going on in Philadelphia, which is part of the key swing state of Pennsylvania.

“A lot of talk about massive CHEATING in Philadelphia. Law enforcement coming!!!” Trump posted on Truth Social on Tuesday around 4:40 PM ET.

Philadelphia Police Department told CNN that they were not aware of what Trump was referring to and did not know of any issues with voting that required a law enforcement response.

As per exit poll research conducted by Edison Research, the top two issues among American voters are - a threat to American Democracy and the state of the economy.

As per Edison, around 73 percent of Americans believe that the state of democracy in America is in "jeopardy", while only 25 percent believe that democracy is secure.

After Democracy and the state of the economy, the top issues for voters were abortion rights and immigration.

Along with the Presidential elections, Americans are also voting for their Senate representatives. As per the latest data called by the Associated Press, the Republicans are currently leading with 38 seats.

The Democrats follow behind with 28 votes. The first side to 50 seats will form the majority across the US Senate.

From New Hampshire’s sun-baked town halls to Pennsylvania’s packed high school gyms and here in the quiet suburbs of Tennessee, there’s been one constant undercurrent—the fierce determination of young women.

Whether in swing states like Arizona or deeply conservative ones like Georgia, young women are speaking up, mobilising and preparing to make their voices heard on what may be the defining issue of the 2024 presidential election—reproductive rights.

Read more on how abortion rights have taken centrestage for the US Presidential elections here.

On polling day, some battleground states reported high voter turnout despite threats apparently aimed at disrupting voting. As per reports, Michigan, Wisconsin and Georgia have received suspected Russian-sourced threats.

However, the threats were dismissed as "not credible" by the FBI. Speaking to CNN, the FBI stated that the threats “appear to originate from Russian email domains" and that "none of the threats have been determined to be credible thus far.”

The polls are closed and the trends are in. As per Associated Press, Republican candidate and former President Donald Trump is currently leading in the states of Indiana and Kentucky.

Both Indiana and Kentucky have had a long history of voting for the GOP. In the 2020 elections, Indiana and Kentucky voted for Trump and Mike Pence in the race to the White House.

Majority of polls across the United STates have closed and the process of counting has begun. As of 6:40 PM ET, a total of 0.1 percent of the votes have been counted.

With millions of votes and ballots yet to be counted, it could take days before we find out who is the next President of the United States.

With polls closing in a few minutes, Vice President and Democratic candidate Kamala Harris took to Instagram to urge voters to "stay in line".

"If you are in line before the polls close, stay in line. It is your right to make your voice heard," stated Harris.

Harris is running for the post of President of the United States with Minnesota governor Tim Walz. Harris catapulted into the race following President Joe Biden's exit from the contest and has received large-scale support from voters, celebrities and Democrats.

The polls have now closed! Based on the count available to us as of 7 PM ET, Donald Trump is projected to win two states - Kentucky and Indiana.

It is still too early to call anything and the race remains a tight one with all national polls suggesting a neck-and-neck fight between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump.

The seven swing states - Arizona, Michigan, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Nevada, North Carolina and Georgia - will play a key role in determining who makes it to the title of "President-elect".

With the counting of votes underway, Vice President Kamala Harris has been projected to win the state of Vermont. Both CNN and AP have projected the three electoral college votes in Vermont for the Harris-Walz campaign.

The winner needs a total of 270 votes to win the race to the White House.

As polls close across the United States and counting begins, Kamala Harris and Donald Trump need 270 votes to become the next President.

However, there is a scenario, albeit rare, where Harris and Trump end the race tied at 269 electoral votes.

What happens if there is a tie? The Congress steps in.

The US Congress has a set process to decide a president in case of a tie. As per Congressional Research Service, each state, regardless of their position, will cast a single vote for President in a contingent election.

This means a group of House members from each state will choose among the candidates with the most Electoral College voters and the candidate which receive a majority of the backing is designated as President-elect.

For the 2024 elections, Americans are also voting for their representatives in the Senate and House. In this case, the newly elected Congress will take a vote in Janaury 2025.

As polls close across the country, early projections have started to come in with counting underway in 50 states and Washington DC. While it remains too early in the state, here are where Harris and Trump stand as of now -

Kamala Harris - 3 Electoral Votes

Harris has been projected to win Vermont

Donald Trump - 23 Electoral Votes

Donald Trump has been projected to win Kentucky, Indiana and West Virginia.

Hours before polling began across the United States, villagers from Vice President Kamala Harris' ancestral village in India organised special prayers for Democratic presidential nominee's victory.

Villagers from across Thulasendrapuram in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu offered their prayers at the Sri Dharmasastha Hindu temple, praying for victory for Harris and Tim Walz.

Polling hours in the key swing state of Georgia have been extended after evacuations caused by a hoax bomb threats. The Georgia Secretary of State announced extended polling hours at five locations across the state's Fulton County and Gwinnett County.

The polling booths will stay open for an extra 20-40 minutes due to apparent Russian bomb threats.

As per the latest projections by AP, Kamala Harris is now projected to win five states and Donald Trump - nine states.

Here is where each presidential candidate stands as of 8 PM ET -

Kamala Harris - 35 Electoral Votes

Harris has been projected to win Vermont, Maryland, Rhode Island, Massachusetts and Connecticut. The Vice President has also been projected to win the District of Columbia.

Donald Trump - 95 Electoral Votes

Trump has been projected to win Indiana, Kentucky, West Virginia, Florida, South Carolina, Alabama, Oklahoma, Mississippi and Tennessee.

With counting underway and the last polls wrapping up voting, the final results for the US Elections 2024 can take days to come in.

Of the total of 538 electoral college votes, the presidential candidates need 270 to win the race and become "President-elect".

As per the exit poll data, the majority of Americans cited the state of the economy among some of the key issues impacting their vote for president.

Both candidates - Harris and Trump have laid out their economic plans. A Donald Trump presidency carries high risks for global growth due to tariffs, while Kamala Harris is less profligate with far more fiscal discipline.

Read more on the economic visions of Harris and Trump here.

Republican candidate and former President Donald Trump is currently in the lead in early projections.

As per AP, Trump has been projected to secure 101 electoral votes from - Indiana, Kentucky, West Virginia, Florida, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Tennessee, Mississippi, South Carolina and Alabama.

Meanwhile, CNN has projected 105 electoral votes for Donald Trump from Indiana, Kentucky, Tennessee, West Virginia, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Missouri, Alabama, Florida and South Carolina.

While it is too early to call the race for either of the two candidates, Kamala Harris has been projected to win a few states.

As per the projections by AP, Harris has been projected to win around 71 electoral votes from Maryland, Rhode Island, Vermont, New Jersey, Delaware, Illinois, Connecticut and Massachusetts.

However, as per CNN's projections, the Vice President is projected to win 27 electoral votes as of now from Vermont, Maryland, Delaware, Massachusetts and the District of Columbia (Washington DC)

In US presidential elections, the blue wall refers to the Great Lake states of Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. All three of these states are also key battleground states for the 2024 polls and are expected to swing.

For the 2020 elections, Biden narrowly restored the blue wall and won in all three states, flipping the outcome of the 2016 elections.

For the 2024 race, first projections show that Kamala Harris and the Democrats are leading in Pennsylvania and Michigan. It is too early to project a lead for the state of Wisconsin.

Celebrity endorsements have become a staple of United States presidential campaigns over the past 100 years. With their massive followings and cultural influence, celebrities can shift voter sentiments and mobilise public participation, particularly among younger voters. However, the effectiveness of these endorsements in the ongoing campaign remains a topic of debate.

Hollywood actor George Clooney set the ball rolling for endorsements in 2024 when he publicly showed his support for Democratic candidate Kamala Harris stating, “President Biden has shown what true leadership is. He’s saving democracy once again. We’re all so excited to do whatever we can to support Vice President Harris in her historic quest.” This came after he harshly criticised Biden for running in the elections initially.

Read more on the impact of celebrity endorsements on the US presidential elections here.

Donald Trump is currently leading in early projections with 177 electoral votes. Vice President Kamala Harris currently trails with 99 electoral votes.

As per Associated Press, Harris is projected to win nine states, namely - Vermont, New York, Connecticut, New Jersey, Delaware, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Illinois and Maryland.

Meanwhile, Donald Trump has been projected to win across 16 states, namely - Texas, Florida, Arkansas, Mississippi, Tennessee, Oklahoma, Kentucky, Ohio, West Virginia, South Carolina, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming, Louisiana, Indiana and Alabama.

The majority of the US states have early voting which allows voters to cast their ballot in advance via postal mail.

These mail-in ballots are considered crucial for the race to the White House as they can flip the early projections for any state. For instance, Trump enjoyed a strong lead in Georgia in 2020, however, once the mail-in ballots came in, Biden won and flipped the state.

Before the votes are tallied, the mail-in votes are processed to ensure they have not been tampered with and are valid. While the process varies from state to state, the counting of these ballots begins once polls close.

Vice President and Democratic candidates Kamala Harris is currently leading in three swing states - Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, also known as the "Blue Wall".

The three states were flipped by Donald Trump in 2016 when he won his first term as President of the United States. However, in 2020, Joe Biden reinstated the blue wall by a narrow margin.

As per the latest projections by AP, Harris is currently leading in all three swing states. However, it is too early to call any of the one swing states in her favour.

With counting underway, it is still too early to project which way the seven battleground states will swing.

As per AP, Vice President Kamala Harris is currently holding the 'Blue Wall' and leading in Michigan, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania. Harris is also leading in Arizona as of 10 PM ET.

In Georgia and North Carolina, former President Donald Trump is currently in the lead.

The votes from Nevada are yet to come in.

This is definitely a tight race. Moments ago, Vice President Kamala Harris maintained a lead in the swing states of Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. However, these states have now flipped with Trump in the lead.

Remember, it is still too early to call the race for either of the two candidates.

Along with the presidential elections, Americans have also cast their vote for the US Senate.

As per the latest count, the Republicans lead in 48 seats and the Democrats in 36.

The party that has over 50 seats will control the votes in the 100-seat Senate.

Meanwhile, 83-year-old Democrat Bernie Sanders has retained his Senate seat in Vermont for the fourth time in a row.

With counting of votes underway, Vice President Kamala Harris is currently trailing behind former President Donald Trump.

The race to the White House continues to remain a tight one. The votes from the seven swing states are yet to come in. After tracking the results since 6 PM ET, six states have flipped back and forth between Harris and Trump.

With more votes yet to come across these six states and Nevada, the race can swing any way now.

Vice President and Demcratic candidate Kamala Harris has been projected to win her home state of California.

As per AP and CNN, the Vice President and former attorney general for the state has been projected to win all 54 electoral votes from California.

Pennsylvania is one of the key swing states for the 2024 presidential elections. With 19 electoral votes up for grab, Kamala Harris (Democrat) and Donald Trump (Republican) are in a tight race.

As per the latest projections from AP and CNN, former President Trump is currently leading in the swing state.

With 75 percent of the votes in, the state can still turn back to blue and bring a win for Vice President Harris.

Since 1992, Pennsylvania had been a blue state, voting for the Democratic candidate in every presidential election. Along with Michigan and Wisconsin, it formed a reliable 'blue wall' for the Democrats. However, in 2016, the state flipped and voted for Donald Trump, making him the first Republican candidate to secure the state since 1988. Trump flipped the remaining blue wall states along with Pennsylvania.

However, after four years of the Trump presidency, Biden managed to reinstate the blue wall by a narrow margin. 

Read more on the impact of swing states on the US presidential elections here.

Donald Trump has been projected to win the swing state of North Carolina. With nearly 90 percent of the votes in, AP has called the swing state for the former president.

In the remaining swing states - Michigan, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Arizona and Georgia - the Republican candidates in a tight race with Vice President and Democratic candidate Kamala Harris. Nevada is yet to start its count.

former President and Republican candidate Donald Trump has continued to lead the race to the White House. As per AP, the former president is projected to win 230 electoral votes and Kamala Harris is expected to take 203 votes as of now.

Meanwhile as per CNN, the Republican candidate is leading with 227 electoral votes as Harris trails behind with 153 votes.

With Trump's strong lead, Outlook India went deep into the resurgance of the former president despite his involvement in the January 6 riots in 2021 and the multiple sexual harassment and rape accusations against him.

Read more on the resurgance of Donald Trump here.

American comedy show 'The Simpson' have made several rounds on X for almost every major news event. From Trump's first election as President to to the Capital Riots of 2021, many Americans, especially Harris voters are praying that the animated show's prediction where Lisa Simpson takes over as POTUS comes true.

Across the seven swing states, Donald Trump is currently in the lead. While the race remains tight, Vice President Kamala Harris has been trailing in the key states of Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin, Nevada, Georgia and Arizona.

Meanwhile, in North Carolina, Trump has been projected to win the race.

It is important to note that similar projections were seen in 2020, however, as more votes came in, especially the mail-in ballots, many states flipped to blue.

Unlike China, Iran, Russia or the Middle East, the world’s most populous country, India, has barely been mentioned in the US presidential election cycle. India is fortunate in that even in a deeply polarised American polity, close relations enjoy strong bipartisan support.

The ideal for New Delhi would be that the next president’s administration takes the final steps towards converting the current comprehensive, global and strategic US-India partnership into ‘‘the defining partnership of the twenty-first century”.

If Donald Trump returns, his presidency is likely to be characterised by strong personal relations with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. These will be coupled with a transactional foreign policy where public differences over trade, market access and immigration will have to balance strategic imperatives.

Read more on How The Next US President Will Influence Ties With India here

Former President Donald Trump is likely to retake the key swing state of Georgia, as per CNN projections. Trump tasted a narrow defeat there in 2020.

According to CNN, Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris has called off her election night address. It has been told that Harris instead will speak tomorrow.

The US is one of those countries where segregation was legal till 1964. Sixty years ago, the Black population of the country was not allowed to eat with the Whites. They didn’t have permission to occupy the front seats in buses. It took years of protests and the assassination of a president to pass the Civil Rights Amendment that ended segregation. Do not forget that Civil Rights activist Martin Luther King was assassinated. That’s American democracy for you! Since I have invoked the spectre of assassination, it is interesting to note that in a country obsessed with war and security, four of its sitting presidents—Abraham Lincoln in 1865, James Garfield in 1881, William McKinley in 1901 and John F. Kennedy in 1963—were assassinated. There was an attempt on Ronald Reagan’s life while he was in office in 1981, that he survived. Isn’t it ironical that a country whose name is associated with many major wars in the 20th century was not able to protect four of its own presidents?

Here's more on the irony called American democracy

After going through all the state maps, it seems like Donald Trump is returning for a second term at the White House. Here are what the latest projections say -

As per Associated Press -

Kamala Harris (D) is projected to win a total of 214 electoral votes.

Donald Trump (R) is projected to win 247 electoral votes and is currently in the lead.

Across the seven swing states, Trump has been projected to win North Carolina and Georgia. The remaining states - Nevada, Arizona, Michigan, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania, are also expected to lean towards the Republicans.

As per CNN -

Kamala Harris (D) is projected to win 184 electoral votes

Donald Trump (R) is projected to win 246 votes, including the seven swing states.

As per ABC News' FiveThirtyEight -

Kamala Harris (D) is projected to win 194 electoral votes

Donald Trump (R) has been projected to win 246 electoral votes.

Outstanding votes and mail-in ballots are yet to be counted and may alter the results as counting continues.

Democratic candidate and Delaware state senator Sarah McBride scripted history by winning a seat in the US House of Representatives and becoming the first openly transgender person elected to Congress by defeating Republican John Whalen III.

In her victory speech, McBride highlighted the importance of protecting reproductive freedom and building an inclusive democracy while also including affordable child care, paid family leave, housing, and healthcare.

Read more on the US Senate and House elections here.

Donald Trump has been projected to take his third swing state - Pennsylvania. With 19 electoral votes, Pennsylvania is the largest swing state for the 2024 polls.

It will take a miracle for Harris to secure the remaining states. As of now, all points to a second Trump presidency.

Former president and Republican candidate Donald Trump has claimed his victory from West Palm Beach in Florida, his home state. As per projections, Trump currently stands at 267 votes as per AP and 266 as per CNN.

"This has been the greatest political movement. We are going to help our country's heal and are going to fix everything about this country," stated Trump.

SpaceX and Tesla CEO Elon Musk, who has always been a favourite of Donald Trump, received yet another shoutout from the Republican candidate.

As Trump claimed victory for the presidential elections, Trump was all praise for Elon Musk, and vice versa. Taking to X, Musk congratulated Trump and stated that the American people gave the former president "a crystal clear mandate for change tonight".

Taking to X, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has extended his congratulations to Republican candidate and former President Donald Trump after he claimed victory in the presidential elections.

"Heartiest congratulations my friend Donald Trump on your historic election victory. As you build on the successes of your previous term, I look forward to renewing our collaboration to further strengthen the India-US Comprehensive Global and Strategic Partnership. Together, let’s work for the betterment of our people and to promote global peace, stability and prosperity," said Modi.

Republican candidate Donald Trump is poised to win a second term at the White House. As per AP, Donald Trump has a total of 267 electoral votes, just three short of 270.

Meanwhile, Vice President and Democratic candidate Kamala Harris is trailing behind at 224 electoral votes.

It is important to note that no state has officially declared their results.

Not so long ago in American politics, if a federal judge stated that a political candidate had raped a woman, it would have been an immediate career-ender.

But in this presidential election campaign, it has barely elicited a shrug.

In May 2023, a New York jury found Former President Donald Trump liable for sexually abusing E. Jean Carroll, a journalist and columnist, in 1996. The jury ordered him to pay $5 million in damages—the first of two multimillion fines he has been ordered to pay Carroll. (He currently owes her in excess of $90 million, which have been accruing in interest as Trump has been continuing his appeals).

Trump’s attorneys had appealed against the first verdict, arguing he had not been found guilty of “rape”. READ FULL STORY HERE

As Donald Trump is poised to clinch victory in the 2024 US Presidential elections, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Wednesday congratulated him while appreciating his commitment to “peace through strength”.

Zelensky in his X post said, “I recall our great meeting with President Trump back in September, when we discussed in detail the Ukraine-U.S. strategic partnership, the Victory Plan, and ways to put an end to Russian aggression against Ukraine.”

“I appreciate President Trump’s commitment to the ‘peace through strength’ approach in global affairs. This is exactly the principle that can practically bring just peace in Ukraine closer. I am hopeful that we will put it into action together,” Zelensky added.

Donald Trump on Wednesday promised to bring a “golden age” for America, as he appeared poised to win the presidential election with a mandate he called “unprecedented and powerful”.

“This will truly be a golden age for America. This is a magnificent victory that will also help us to make America great again," Trump, 78, told his supporters in the wee hours of Wednesday at Palm Beach Convention Centre in Palm Beach, Florida. He was accompanied by most members of his family, including his wife Melania Trump.

The helpers who visit our house are all Hispanics. The leader is from Honduras. Two others are from Guatemala. The fourth person is from El Salvador. Only the leader speaks English. They get about $20 (about 1,700 rupees) per hour. It is hard to live in California with this income, as they have to buy the cleaning material themselves. “Who will you vote for?” I ask the leader. “We don’t vote here,” she says. “If you had?” “I would vote for Trump.” 

Read more on what American's think

As per CNN's projection, Vice President Kamala Harris is slated to win New Jersey with 14 electoral votes at stake.

Responding to the tentative results of the US Presidential Elections 2024, the Iranian government said there will be “no significant difference” in who will finally become the next president in the US, state media reported.

Tasnim News, the state media agency in Iran, said, “The spokesperson for the Iranian government, Fatemeh Mohajerani, confirmed that the general policies of Iran and the United States are consistent" while adding that Mohajerani also said that the US election had “no connection” to Iran.

In a historic political comeback, Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has been elected the 47th president of the United States by defeating his Democratic counterpart Kamala Harris. With a win in Wisconsin, Trump cleared the majority mark of 270 electoral votes needed to clinch the presidency.

Although Democrats lost in the Senate and the White House race, the party's central agenda - abortion rights - won in seven states. By early Wednesday, Montana became the last state to pass such a measure.

However, Florida, Nebraska, and South Dakota rejected the measures to make abortion a constitutional right.

Read more: 'How Abortion Rights Is Shaping The US Political Landscape'

As Donald Trump crosses the majority mark to become the president for a second time, leaders from around the globe shared congratulatory messages for the president-elect.  Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, Jordan’s King Abdullah II, Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, and Somalia’s Hassan Sheikh, all congratulated Trump for his historic win.

Emmerson Mnangagwa, the President of Zimbabwe, who has been sanctioned by the US over alleged links to diamond smuggling and for political repression also took to social media to congratulate Trump. "Zimbabwe stands ready to work with you and the American people to build a better, more prosperous, and more peaceful world,” he wrote on X.

Check out more reactions: World Leaders React To Donald Trump's Historic Victory 

As Republican Donald Trump is all set to become the President of America for the second time, he declared that America was entering a new “golden age.”

In a speech at the Palm Beach Convention Center, Trump vowed to usher in a new era of prosperity, with his running mate and Vice President-elect JD Vance offering a picture of unity and political strength. 

“America has given us an unprecedented and powerful mandate. We have taken back control of the Senate. I want to thank the American people for the extraordinary honor of being elected your 47th president, and your 45th president,” the former president declared as Republicans crossed the majority mark. 

Read More: Trump Declares 'Golden Age' In Victory Speech | Top Quotes

There is mixed feeling about a second Trump presidency for the rest of the world. What will it mean for Israel’s war on Gaza and Lebanon, and Russia’s Ukraine misadventure?

Prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu will be delighted at the outcome. Trump, unlike Joe Biden, is a friend and was responsible for moving the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem in an effort to boost Israel’s claim to the historic city.

Netanyahu could now be emboldened to take on Iran much more aggressively and perhaps strike its nuclear facility.  For the desperate people of Gaza and Lebanon, neither Trump nor Harris makes a difference; they have little hope from any American administration whether Democratic or Republican.

Read more about what Trump's return means for nations under seige

With Donald Trump set for an unprecedented return to the White House with a sweeping victory, defying exit polls that predicted a close race with Vice-President Kamala Harris, media in the US and across the world have reacted with a range of differing perspectives on the reasons for the win and what lies ahead.

Check out How Global Media Are Interpreting Trump’s Win