Donald Trump declares victory in US Presidential Election after taking series of key states

Donald Trump has declared victory in the US Presidential Election. Addressing his supporters in Palm Beach, Florida, he said: "This was the greatest political movement of all time and now it's going to reach a new level of importance because we're going to let our country heal.

"We've made history for a reason tonight and the reason is going to be just that. It is now clear that we've achieved the most incredible political... I mean look what happened, isn't this crazy? It's a political victory that our country has never seen before, nothing like this, I want to thank the American people for making me your 47th President and your 45th president."

Many votes remain uncounted but a Trump victory looks virtually guaranteed at this stage, with many US TV networks calling the election for Trump already. This move was somewhat anticipated by figures such as Bernie Sanders, Independent Senator for Vermont, who warned prior to the election that Trump might declare an early victory.

In a conversation with CNN's Kaitlan Collins, he emphatically stated: "It's not 'what if,' Kaitlan. It is not 'what if' - he will.", reports the Mirror.

Reports have indicated that former President Trump had been encouraged by some advisers to preemptively claim victory in crucial battleground states if he was leading against Democrat Kamala Harris. Despite lengthy vote-counting processes in states such as Pennsylvania, which can take several days, Trump was advised against a premature declaration by allies including his former White House strategist Steve Bannon, to avoid appearing foolish.

These reports came after Trump's previous early self-declared triumph in the 2020 Presidential Election, ultimately won by current President Joe Biden. As the count in pivotal states continued with a mix of on-the-day, early, and mail-in ballots, Trump unbacked by evidence, claimed the election had been rigged against him and pressured Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger to procure exactly 11,780 votes required to overturn Biden's lead in Georgia.

On January 6, 2021, he rallied his supporters to demonstrate against Congress members who were ratifying the election results. This event served as a precursor to the notorious Capitol building riot, where Trump's followers breached the chambers in a significant moment in contemporary American history.