Americans have vowed to move to Australia to ‘escape’ after Donald Trump claimed victory in the US presidential election.
Shortly after the Republican leader declared himself the next president on Wednesday night (AEDT), American supporters of Democratic leader Kamala Harris took to X, formerly Twitter, revealing their plans to ditch their homeland.
‘If anyone has the ‘concept of a plan’ for moving to Australia, I’m here and waiting!’ one wrote.
Another added: ‘So sick of this country. I’m moving to Australia.’
A third wrote: ‘Boarding now boat to Australia to leave America forever who’s boarding?’ another wrote.
Aussies also weighed into joking Americans could seek ‘refugee’ status.
‘Any US citizens wishing to escape from Trump and his bunch of criminals are welcome in Australia,’ one said.
A second added: ‘Australia is standing by to accept refugees from the United States,’ another wrote.
A third tried to be helpful by googling the shortest distance between the US and Australia.
Many Americans have vowed to move to Australia to ‘escape’ following Donald Trump’s (pictured with his wife, Melania) claim to victory in the US presidential election
American supporters of Democratic leader Kamala Harris joked about moving to Australia (pictured, audience of the election livestream in Sydney)
Several Democrat supporters were upset in Sydney on Wednesday night while watching a livestream of the election (pictured, audience of the election livestream in Sydney)
‘For all my American friends who may no longer feel safe where they live. Australia is a good option to get as far away.’
Australian presenter and comedian Dan Ilic also poked fun at the situation, writing: ‘That’s it… I’m moving to Australia.’
Several Democrat supporters were similarly upset in Sydney on Wednesday while watching a livestream of the election.
Concerned pubgoers watched on as the results trickled in, with some shedding tears as Trump gained traction in the polls.
Former President Donald Trump took the stage and declared victory in the early hours of Wednesday morning – local time, cementing an extraordinary political comeback.
Minutes earlier news organisations called the 2024 presidential race for him in an astonishing night for Republicans and devastating evening for Kamala Harris.
‘We made history for a reason tonight, and the reason is that we overcame obstacles that nobody thought possible,’ he said. ‘And it is now clear that we’ve achieved the most incredible political thing.’
The moment of truth came when Fox News called Pennsylvania, the biggest of the battleground prizes, followed by Wisconsin and then the entire race in his favor.
The Associated Press had still not called the election for Trump by 3am (local time), but he claimed victory onstage nonetheless alongside wife Melania, 18-year-old son Barron and his most loyal staff and supporters.
‘It’s real,’ screamed one young supporter who raced to the front of the crowd as if it were a mosh pit, high fiving friends and strangers.
Trump was joined on stage by family – including daughter Ivanka and son-in-law Jared Kushner who had been absent from the campaign – aides and political supporters.
He thanked his supporters and promised a golden age for the nation.
When he invited his running mate to the microphone, Sen. J.D. Vance said the result marked a remarkable turnaround in political fortunes.
Trump declared himself the winner of the 2024 presidential election on Wednesday ngiht, AEDT (pictured, audience of an election livestream in Sydney)
Pubgoers in Sydney watched as the results trickled in, with some shedding tears as Trump gained traction in the polls (pictured, audience of an election livestream at Sydney’s Kent Street Hotel)
In his victory speech, Trump said: ‘We made history for a reason tonight, and the reason is that we overcame obstacles that nobody thought possible,’ (pictured, a Trump supporter in Sydney)
‘I thank you for the trust that you placed in me,’ he said, ‘and I think that we just witnessed the greatest political comeback in the history of the United States of America.’
He was surrounded by supporters, friends and family at his Florida home as he regained his crown.
He led them out on stage at the Palm Beach County Convention Center where he delivered his victory speech in front of hundreds more supporters who had waited hours to see him.
‘Most of all, I want to thank the millions of hard working Americans across the nation who have always been the heart and soul of this really great movement,’ he said.
‘We’ve been through so much together, and today, you showed up in record numbers to deliver a victory like really … probably … like no other. This was something special.’
Trump used his speech to promise a positive vision.
‘Together we’re going to unlock America’s glorious destiny and we’re going to achieve the most incredible future for our people.’
‘It’s time to put the divisions of the past four years behind us, it is time to unite. And we’re going to try, we have to try, and we’re going to be successful at bringing us together… Success is going to bring us together, and we are going to start by putting America first.’
Hours before polls closed, Trump claimed on his Truth Social site without evidence that there was ‘a lot of talk about massive CHEATING’ in Philadelphia, a Democratic stronghold.
It echoed his 2020 claims of election fraud in Democratic-controlled cities.
And it led to worries that he and his team could be preparing for a repeat of the legal and political challenges that ended with hundreds of his supporters storming the U.S. Capitol.
‘If I lose an election, if it’s a fair election, I’m gonna be the first one to acknowledge it,’ Trump told reporters after voting on Tuesday.
Roger Stone, longtime Republican provocateur and Trump ally, said he was on course for an extraordinary comeback, fueled by four criminal indictments.
‘It’s a story of perseverance. It’s a story of resilience and just grit,’ he told Daily Mail. ‘I mean, just grinding it out’.
Kamala Harris’ victory party meanwhile was completely deserted by midnight.
As of 3.45am on Wednesday morning in Washington, the Harris camp hadn’t reacted to the results as the Associated Press waited to make the final call (pictured, audience of an election livestream in Sydney)
Trump told his supporters on Wednesday: ‘Together we’re going to unlock America’s glorious destiny and we’re going to achieve the most incredible future for our people’ (pictured, audience of an election livestream in Sydney)
Australians joked they would accept Americans as ‘refugees’ (pictured, audience of an election livestream in Sydney)
Supporters react to election results during an election night event for US Vice President and Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris at Howard University in Washington, DC
The campaign first told staff to go home and then top Harris advisor Cedric Richmond came out and confirmed the vice president would not be speaking.
As of 3.45am on Wednesday morning, in Washington, the Harris camp hadn’t reacted to the results as the Associated Press waited to make the final call.
The reaction was swift from the network TV pundits who called it a ‘shellacking’ for the Democrats.
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