Kamala Harris cancels election party in Washington DC following Trump's victory

Kamala Harris has been defeated in her attempt to become the first woman to lead America, as Donald Trump, the Republican candidate, won the 2024 US presidential election. The vice-president is yet to speak on the matter, despite it being clear by this morning that Trump’s win was certain after securing several important swing states such as Pennsylvania and Georgia.

The 60-year-old cancelled her expected election night appearance at Howard University in Washington DC, where she studied as an undergraduate, following Trump’s surge in votes as early results became known.

The Republican party racked up many key swing states including wins from Pennsylvania, North Carolina and Wisconsin, with Trump currently claiming 277 electoral votes, and Harris falling behind with 224. There are still several states to be announced as votes continue to be counted.

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According to CBS projections, Trump has won in conservative states spanning from Florida to Idaho, while Harris has emerged victorious in liberal states stretching from New York to California.

The Democratic candidate was scheduled to speak to her supporters, but campaign co-chairman Cedric Richmond revealed just after midnight that she would not be present.

The festive mood at Howard had soured quickly after two swing states were won by Trump.

From the headquarters of Harris, Lindy Li, a Democratic fundraiser, informed the BBC that the current situation is "pretty grim".

Vice-President Harris became the Democratic Party candidate in July, after President Joe Biden withdrew from the race. Had she claimed victory, the former California senator would have become the first woman, first black woman and first South Asian-American to win the presidency of the USA.

But her 15-week campaign failed to build up enough support to defeat Trump across the country - with early exit poll data showing her campaign, which had included a focus on abortion rights, failing to resonate with citizens.

The Democrat is yet to offer any remarks but is expected to speak later on Wednesday. A senior Trump adviser told CBS that they expected Harris to call the president-elect to concede defeat - which Trump refused to do in 2020.

The vice-president was due to address supporters on Tuesday night, but campaign co-chairman Cedric Richmond announced shortly after midnight on that she would not attend.

"We still have votes to count," he had said at the time.

CBS exit poll data suggests that, despite the fact that the Democratic nominee campaigned heavily for abortion rights, she may have under-performed with female voters.

According to the poll, about 54% of female voters cast their ballots for her.

About 86 million voters cast their ballots early during one of the most tumultuous and unstable campaigns in American history.

Trump’s victory in the election will allow him to push through his agenda - which includes policies of mass deportations of illegal migrants and sweeping tax cuts.

CBS reported Law enforcement agencies nationwide were on high alert for potential violence, after about 30 hoax bomb threats targeted election-related locations nationwide on Tuesday, more than half of them in the state of Georgia alone.

These bomb threats in Georgia resulted in polls being held open for longer in the state, before it ultimately turned red in favour of Trump.

The 45th and now 47th president took to the stage to promise a “golden age for America” and “the greatest political movement of all time”, also pledging to “help our country heal” and “fix everything about our country”.

As world leaders, including Taoiseach Simon Harris, rush to congratulate Trump, Harris has yet to comment on her defeat, after not appearing at Howard University in Washington DC where a triumphant watch party had been planned in anticipation of her victory, but which ultimately ended with supporters leaving early, disappointed in the news of Trump’s win.