In a historic win, Donald Trump, 78, recaptured the White House on Wednesday by securing nearly 300 Electoral College votes needed to win the presidency. Republican presidential candidate Trump thanked his family, including wife Melania, during a speech earlier after a majority of US media projected him as the winner of the the 2024 United States presidential election. During his speech, Trump referred to Melania as the “first lady”, thanking her for support during his bitter presidential campaign. Additionally, Trump praised Melania’s namesake book terming it as the “number one best seller in the country”. “She’s done a great job,” he said, adding that she “works very hard to help people”. Trump also expressed gratitude to his “amazing children,” naming each of them as they stood on stage with him. “America has given us an unprecedented and powerful mandate,” he said early on Wednesday to a roaring crowd of supporters at the Palm Beach County Convention Centre, flanked by his vice presidential running mate, Senator JD Vance, Republican leaders and members of Trump’s family. Other news outlets had yet to call the race for Trump, but he appeared on the verge of winning after capturing the battleground states of Pennsylvania, North Carolina and Georgia and holding leads in the other four, according to Edison Research. Harris did not speak to her supporters, who had gathered at her alma mater Howard University. Her campaign co-chair, Cedric Richmond, briefly addressed the crowd after midnight, saying Harris would speak publicly on Wednesday. The former president was showing strength across broad swaths of the country, improving on his 2020 performance everywhere from rural areas to urban centers. Republicans won a US Senate majority after flipping Democratic seats in West Virginia and Ohio. Neither party appeared to have an edge in the fight for control of the House of Representatives where Republicans currently hold a narrow majority.