Trump prepares for White House return after decisive victory

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• Amna Nawaz:

  Welcome to the "News Hour."

  Former President Donald Trump will return to the Oval Office as the 47th president of the United States after his win over Vice President Kamala Harris.

• Geoff Bennett:

  Republicans could enjoy unchecked control over Washington with a Senate majority secured, but the House is still too close to call.

  Donald Trump, Former President of the United States (R) and Current President-Elect: Look what happened. Is this crazy?

  (Cheering)

• Geoff Bennett:

  Donald Trump addressed his supporters early Wednesday after being elected the 47th president in a decisive and historic victory.

• Donald Trump:

  I want to thank the American people for the extraordinary honor of being elected your 47th president and your 45th president.

  (Cheering)

• Geoff Bennett:

  Mr. Trump is the second president in U.S. history to serve nonconsecutive terms, but his victory also marks a series of firsts.

• Audience:

  USA! USA!

• Geoff Bennett:

  He's the first Republican in two decades to win the popular vote, the oldest person to be elected commander in chief, the first president with a felony conviction, and the first who tried to overthrow an election he lost.

• Donald Trump:

  We will make America safe, strong, prosperous, powerful and free again, and I'm asking every citizen all across our land to join me in this noble and righteous endeavor. That's what it is. It's time to put the divisions of the past four years behind us. It's time to unite.

• Geoff Bennett:

  His running mate, J.D. Vance, will be one of the youngest vice presidents in history with some of the least governing experience, serving two years in the Senate.

  Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH), Vice President-Elect: And I think that we just witnessed the greatest political comeback in the history of the United States of America.

  (Cheering)

• Sen. J.D. Vance:

  After the greatest political comeback in American history, we're going to leave the greatest economic comeback in American history under Donald Trump's leadership.

  (Cheering)

• Geoff Bennett:

  Vice President Kamala Harris addressed her supporters this afternoon at Howard University, her first public remarks after Mr. Trump's win.

  Kamala Harris, Vice President of the United States (D) and U.S. Presidential Candidate: While I concede this election, I do not concede the fight that fueled this campaign.

  (Cheering)

• Donald Trump:

  America has given us an unprecedented and powerful mandate.

• Geoff Bennett:

  As a candidate, Mr. Trump vowed a campaign of vengeance aimed at his political enemies, promised the largest mass deportation of undocumented immigrants in U.S. history and huge tariffs on foreign imports, which could raise prices in the U.S.

  He's also pledged to bring new voices into his government.

• Donald Trump:

  We have a new star. A star is born, Elon.

• Geoff Bennett:

  Including billionaire Elon Musk, whose massive net worth can be traced to government contracts with his companies such as Tesla and SpaceX.

  And Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the anti-vaccine conspiracy theorist and former independent candidate who dropped out and endorsed Mr. Trump, is expected to have a significant public health role.

• Donald Trump:

  He's a great guy and he really means it. He wants to do some things, and we're going to let him go to it.

• Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY):

  Well, good morning, everyone.

• Geoff Bennett:

  Meantime, for Senate Republicans…

• Sen. Mitch McConnell:

  It was a hell of a good day.

• Geoff Bennett:

  … they beat back Democratic challengers and flipped enough seats to secure a majority in the Upper Chamber. Outgoing Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell said GOP control would provide guardrails for the Senate.

• Sen. Mitch McConnell:

  I think one of the most gratifying results of the Senate becoming Republican, the filibuster will stand. There won't be any new states admitted that give a partisan advantage to the other side and we will quit beating up the Supreme Court every time we don't like a decision they make.

• Geoff Bennett:

  But there were some big congressional wins for Democrats. For the first time in history, two Black women will serve in the Senate at the same time. Lisa Blunt Rochester from Delaware and Angela Alsobrooks from Maryland both won their races.

  Angela Alsobrooks (D), Maryland Senator-Elect: Now, it's remarkable to think that in two years America will celebrate its 250th birthday. And in all those years, there have been more than 2,000 people who have served in the United States Senate. And only three have looked like me.

• Geoff Bennett:

  The Senate will also have its first Korean American with New Jersey's Andy Kim. And the House of Representatives will have an openly transgender member for the first time in Sarah McBride from Delaware.

  Many races are still being counted in the closely watched battle for control of the House. But at an election watch party last night, Speaker Mike Johnson was optimistic.

• Rep. Mike Johnson (R-LA):

  We're going to have the most aggressive first 100 days agenda that anybody's seen in a modern era. And we got to fix everything, everything.

• Geoff Bennett:

  That's as Democrats are reeling from their loss.

• Leslie Greeve, Utah Resident:

  Sad. Sad. I wanted a kinder nation. I'm raising kids. And it's a hard pill to swallow.

• Geoff Bennett:

  Harris pulled together a campaign in roughly 100 days once President Joe Biden dropped out of the race this past summer, smashing fund-raising records and riding a wave of enthusiasm, but it wasn't enough to win the White House.

• Garette Van Smith, Georgia Resident:

  A lot of our liberties are going to be taken away, and a lot of our rights, especially for women. And I think we're acting like drunk people. We take one step forward and 10 steps back.

• James Day, Georgia Resident:

  As an African American in this country, it just sort of made me realize just how racist and sexist this country is, unfortunately.

• Geoff Bennett:

  But others were ready for four more years of Trump.

• James McCoy-Taylor, Texas Resident:

  I'm excited. I want to just rip the spike up and throw it in the air and celebrate. Everyone's so happy. He's going to make everyone happy. And even if they didn't want him as president, they're going to be wealthier, safer, healthier, everything. So I'm excited.

• Kelly Gallagaher, Florida Resident:

  So many things were on the line, from our security, our border, our economy. Everything was in jeopardy. And President Trump is back again to make America great again.