Trump wins in utterly divisive, costly U.S. election amid deep public concerns

WASHINGTON, the United States | Xinhua | Multiple major U.S. media outlets projected on Wednesday that Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has won enough Electoral College votes and will be the next president of the United States.

Earlier in the day, Trump took the stage at West Palm Beach County Convention Center in the U.S. state of Florida to speak to supporters and declare victory.

In the U.S. presidential election, the candidate who receives more than half of the 538 electoral votes wins the presidency. His Democratic opponent, U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris did not speak on election night at Howard University, her alma mater in Washington D.C..

Alongside the presidential race, several U.S. media outlets projected that the Republican Party would regain control of the U.S. Senate early Wednesday after flipping two seats from the Democratic Party.

The election, widely regarded as one of the most divisive in American history, has caused deep concern among voters. According to an annual survey conducted by the American Psychological Association, 77 percent of U.S. adults said the future of the nation was a significant source of stress in their lives. Additionally, 74 percent said they were worried that the election results could lead to violence.

“The U.S. is now more divided along ideological and political lines than at any time since the 1850s,” said Bruce Stokes, an associate fellow at Chatham House. “America’s friends and allies need to understand that the United States has become a Disunited States. There are effectively two Americas — and they are at war.”

It has also become one of the most contentious and costly campaigns in U.S. history. According to OpenSecrets, political spending across major-party campaigns, related political action committees (PACs), and other groups is projected to reach a record 15.9 billion U.S. dollars, with deep involvement of U.S. billionaires.

After decades of staying out of politics, Bill Gates recently donated about 50 million dollars to a nonprofit supporting Harris’s presidential campaign. Meanwhile, Elon Musk, the richest man in the world, has given more than 75 million dollars to his pro-Trump super PAC.

Forbes had recorded 83 billionaires supporting Harris and 52 backing Trump by Oct. 30. Many more billionaires might also financially back a candidate, but their donations won’t be learned until after the election.

Despite the enormous financial outlay, voters appear increasingly disillusioned with their nation’s institutions and political landscape. A New York Times/Siena College poll revealed that nearly half of American voters doubt the effectiveness of U.S. democracy, with 45 percent believing it fails to represent ordinary people.

Three-quarters of the voters say democracy is under threat, and more than half feel that the government mostly serves elite interests, reinforcing concerns about corruption and deep-seated dysfunction. Notably, 58 percent of voters say the political system needs major reform or a complete overhaul, according to the poll.

“When it is over, no matter who wins, we will be more divided, with our fragile democracy and our country’s unity at greater risk,” said James Zogby, president of the Washington-based Arab American Institute. ■