The Evening: Trump’s America

We take a look at how Trump won, and what's next.

View in browser|nytimes.com November 6, 2024 By Matthew Cullen Good evening. We're bringing you this special edition on the U.S. election result. Harris's concession speech Trump's strongman agenda Plus, share your thoughts Donald Trump last night in West Palm Beach, Fla. Doug Mills/The New York Times It's 'Trump's America' Donald Trump, who promised to smash the American status quo and radically reshape the federal government, will be the next president of the United States. That reality became clear to millions of jubilant fans and anxious critics early this morning, when Trump passed the necessary 270 electoral votes. This afternoon, Kamala Harris conceded the race. "It is OK to feel sad and disappointed, but please know it is going to be OK," Harris said to a crowd of tearful supporters in Washington. "Here's the thing: Sometimes the fight takes a while." By this evening, Trump's electoral victory is shaping up to be substantial: He won all five of the battleground states that have been called so far, he leads by comfortable margins in the other two and he is on track to become the first Republican to win the popular vote in 20 years. The Republicans also took control of the Senate, which will allow Trump to more easily carry out his priorities. Control of the House has yet to be determined. Kamala Harris after her concession speech at Howard University in Washington.  Cheriss May for The New York Times The results proved that Trump was not the historical aberration that Democrats hoped he would be. He was defeated in 2020, indicted over an attempt to overturn the election, convicted of felonies, shot by a would-be assassin and labeled a fascist by his former aides. But instead of fading away, he established himself as a force reshaping the country in his image. "The real America becomes Trump's America," a historian said. How Trump won Trump became the first former president in more than 120 years to get elected for a second nonconsecutive term by shifting the country to the right. Compared to 2020, Trump made gains in every corner of the country and with nearly every demographic group. He made big gains in blue America, and appeared to make his largest gains among Hispanic voters. The New York Times Trump appealed to voters' frustrations about the economy and immigration, which appeared to resonate. But many voters still found him unappealing, and his projected margin in the popular vote does not indicate a landslide. His victory may say more about the country's dissatisfaction with Harris and the Democratic Party. President Biden, who dropped out of the race just over 100 days ago, was deeply unpopular. No party has ever retained the White House when so many Americans thought the country was on the wrong track. From Opinion: Times columnists explained their theories for why Trump won. In other election news: Elissa Slotkin, a Democrat, won a close race for Michigan's open Senate seat. Voters rejected efforts to loosen drug laws in several states. Elon Musk helped elect Trump. Now the question is: What does he expect in return? JD Vance will be one of America's youngest vice presidents. The cryptocurrency industry spent more than $130 million on the election. It paid off. Anna Rose Layden for The New York Times What's next Trump has promised to deport millions of immigrants living in the country illegally. He has centered his economic plans around large tariffs that could jolt the global economy and increase inflation in the U.S. He has questioned efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and suggested that he might tap Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to reshape the public health sphere. Our correspondents around the world explained what a Trump presidency could mean. In Ukraine, Trump has promised to end the war, which many experts assume amounts to the withdrawal of American aid. In Israel, the right-wing government celebrated. Personally, Trump will benefit enormously from his election. He will be able to dispense with federal criminal charges against him while postponing or derailing the state and local cases that threatened to send him to prison and wipe out his wealth. Jack Smith, the special counsel who charged Trump, has already begun discussions about winding down his cases. A question to our readers How are you approaching Trump's second term? Are you planning to make any changes? What are the things you'd like to see happen in the next four years? If you'd like to share your thoughts, fill out this form. More top news California: A rapidly burning brush fire swept across more than 8,000 acres in a matter of hours, prompting evacuations and power outages. Missouri: Flooding across the state killed at least five people, including two poll workers. Germany: Chancellor Olaf Scholz fired his finance minister, leaving the government teetering. Cuba: Hurricane Rafael made landfall today as a Category 3 storm. Israel: A decision by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to fire his popular defense minister, Yoav Gallant, caused backlash from protesters and opposition leaders. Japan: Mount Fuji ended its longest snowless period in 130 years. TIME TO UNWIND Cynthia Erivo, left, and Ariana Grande. Dana Scruggs for The New York Times Ariana Grande is reinventing the 'theater kid' label For a long time, "theater kid" was an insult in Hollywood. It was code for an "annoying try-hard who was deeply uncool." Just ask Anne Hathaway, who years ago was scorned as too effortful. But recently, stars like Ariana Grande and Lady Gaga have elevated the virtue of showmanship with an elaborate commitment to performances that embody the theater-kid ethos. For more: We interviewed Grande and Cynthia Erivo, who star in "Wicked," a prequel to "The Wizard of Oz" adapted from Broadway. Kyoto, Japan. Buddhika Weerasinghe/Getty Images For a last-minute Thanksgiving trip, look abroad November is a busy time for domestic travel: The roads and skies are filled with Americans traveling to their families for Thanksgiving. But outside the country, there is probably no better time to take a trip. Flights are much cheaper and crowds are smaller. Here are some great options. Jonathan Cumberland Dinner table topics A cable underdog: Here's how "Yellowstone," which is preparing to air its final episodes, captured America. Not the same old love story: The actor Bridget Everett says a best friend can be your greatest love. Lip-reading Kendall Jenner: With readings of stars' private conversations, Jackie G has become a star herself. Testing his independence: Zach Bates, a man with autism, ran an ultramarathon with the help of his devoted mother. WHAT TO DO TONIGHT Linda Xiao for The New York Times. Food stylist: Maggie Ruggiero Cook: This pecan pie is inspired by southern grannies. Read: Check out "Redwall" and several other fantasy books we recommend. Listen: These songs will make you love the vibraphone. Wear: Ripped jeans have managed to remain in style. Treat: You can hand wash-all your clothes, even delicate items. Compete: Take our quiz to see how well you know these space books. Play: Here are today's Spelling Bee, Wordle and Mini Crossword. Find all of our games here. ONE LAST THING Desiree Rios for The New York Times Welcome to the Super Bowl of pickleball That phrase might sound funny because pickleball is a sport often played for fun on the weekend, while the Super Bowl is America's most extravagant showcase of athletic achievement. But Connor Pardoe, who founded the Professional Pickleball Association, wants to change that. Pardoe is hoping that a high-level pickleball tournament in Texas, which pits the best players in the world against each other, will be a coming-out party of sorts for the professional game and help expand the sport. The first challenge: Making Americans aware that pro pickleball players exist. Have an active evening. Thanks for reading. My colleague Jonathan Wolfe will write this newsletter for the next two days. I'll be back on Tuesday, after Veterans Day. — Matthew Philip Pacheco was our photo editor today. We welcome your feedback. Write to us at evening@nytimes.com. Writer: Matthew Cullen Editorial Director: Adam Pasick Editors: Carole Landry, Whet Moser, Justin Porter, Jonathan Wolfe Need help? Review our newsletter help page or contact us for assistance. You received this email because you signed up for The Evening from The New York Times. To stop receiving The Evening, unsubscribe. 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