As it happened: Donald Trump elected President of the United States in shock defeat of Hillary Clinton
Former outsider sweeps to decisive victory after winning key battleground states
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Your support makes all the difference.Donald Trump has been elected President of the United States in the biggest shock in the country's electoral history. Here are the things you need to know:
- European leaders warn of 'new era of uncertainty'
- Hillary Clinton gives concession speech: 'For all the girls and women watching this, don't give up'
- Stunned world reacts to Mr Trump's victory
- Victor pledges to be 'President for all Americans' in speech
- Billionaire reality star's journey to the White House
- What happens next
- Barack Obama invites successor to White House
- How Mr Trump won the election
- ...and how victory slipped through Ms Clinton's fingers
- Theresa May congratulates the President-elect
- Jeremy Corbyn calls Mr Trump's policies 'wrong'
- Nigel Farage will be first UK politician to meet victor
- Former KKK leader claims support sealed victory
- Financial markets drop as analysts fear 'Brexit all over again'
- How British politicians reacted to the election of Donald Trump
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Donald Trump has been named the shock victor of the US presidential election, pledging to be a "President for all Americans".
In a victory speech in New York, the Republican candidate, vowed to unite the country following a divisive campaign littered with controversies.
“Now it’s time for America to bind the wounds of division…I say it is time for us to come together as one united people,” he said, as supporters chanted “USA! USA! USA!”.
Amid widespread concern over international tensions following Mr Trump’s comments on countries including China and Russia, he insisted he expected “great relationships” with foreign nations.
“America will no longer settle for anything less than best, - we must reclaim our country’s destiny,” he added. “I want to tell the world community that while we will always put America’s interests first, we will always deal fairly with everyone – all people and all other nations.
“We will seek common ground, not hostility. Partnership, not conflict.”
Hillary Clinton phoned Mr Trump in the early hours of Wednesday morning to concede defeat but made no immediate public comment.
As her loss looked ever more certain, she tweeted: "Whatever happens tonight, thank you for everything."
The election's result has still not been formally announced as the remaining states wait to declare, but Mr Trump has passed the benchmark necessary to be President.
He held onto every state won by Mitt Romney in 2012, and then went on to claim every swing state that we identified here as being up for grabs at the half-way point.
With 93 per cent of its votes counted, the result in New Hampshire is just 0.1% in Mr Trump's favour - meaning that state's four electoral college votes could still go either way.
EU leaders Donald Tusk and Jean-Claude Juncker have invited Donald Trump to a European summit 'at his earliest convenience'. That meeting should be interesting, considering some of the remarks previously made about the President-elect by members of the European Parliament.
Jens Stoltenberg, the Nato Secretary-General, has extended his congratulations to Mr Trump.
"I look forward to working with President-elect Trump, he said.
We face a challenging new security environment, including hybrid warfare, cyber attacks, the threat of terrorism. US leadership is as important as ever. Our Alliance has brought together America’s closest friends in times of peace and of conflict for almost 70 years. A strong NATO is good for the United States, and good for Europe.
NATO has responded with determination to the new security situation. But we have more work to do. And I look forward to meeting Mr. Trump soon, and welcoming him to Brussels for the NATO Summit next year to discuss the way forward. "
Hey America, why did you have to join us Brits in the pit? What happened to your "shining City on a hill"?
The Prime Minister, Theresa May, has congratulated Donald Trump and said Britain and the US "will remain strong and close partners''. She said:
"Britain and the United States have an enduring and special relationship based on the values of freedom, democracy and enterprise. We are, and will remain, strong and close partners on trade, security and defence. I look forward to working with President-elect Donald Trump, building on these ties to ensure the security and prosperity of our nations in the years ahead."
After staying up with his son to watch the extraordinary result, Matthew Norman has written for The Independent on his difficulty explaining Donald Trump's victory to his children. But there is a silver lining, he writes:
The election of a black person was as unthinkable two years before it happened as the election of an orange monster as President was yesterday (is now, and ever more shall be so).
It can’t be any more unthinkable that in four years, assuming America’s appetite for Trump has been sated (not that dunces like me should be making more assumptions about anything), a humane and intelligent politician will replace him in the White House, and set about trying to undo whatever damage he has done.
