Donald Trump has been declared the winner of the United States presidential election, media reported on Wednesday, defeating Kamala Harris in a remarkable political resurgence likely to reverberate worldwide.

The polarising Republican’s victory, following one of the most contentious campaigns in recent US history, is especially striking given his recent criminal conviction, a narrowly avoided assassination attempt, and warnings from a former chief of staff who described him as a “fascist.”

“This is a political triumph like no other in our nation’s history,” Trump said to supporters at a victory celebration in Florida.

Vice President Harris, who joined the race in July following President Joe Biden’s withdrawal, ran a centrist campaign, emphasising Trump’s inflammatory rhetoric and his use of openly divisive language.

However, Trump’s dire warnings about immigration and strong advocacy for isolationism resonated with voters struggling amid the post-Covid economic climate and looking for a change from the Biden years.

The election was predicted to be closely contested, but the results came swiftly, delivering a decisive victory with wins in key swing states like Georgia, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania.

Trump becomes the first president in over a century to secure a non-consecutive second term and the only individual elected to the presidency while being a convicted felon. He faces sentencing in New York on fraud charges on 26 November.

At age 78, Trump is set to break another record as the oldest-ever sitting president, surpassing Biden, who will step down in January at the age of 82.