Trump clinches victory; Trudeau touts Canada-U.S. relationship as 'envy of the world'

Donald Trump clinched the United States election after a tumultuous campaign and Canadian officials talked up the important relationship between neighbours in congratulating the former president on his extraordinary comeback on Wednesday (Nov. 6).

"I will govern by a simple motto: promises made, promises kept," Trump said to cheering party faithful at a Florida watch party.

Trump was elected the 47th president of a deeply divided America by prevailing among voters in the Democrats' critical "blue wall" states. 

Trump took North Carolina and Georgia early, but his path to victory became clear when he won the campaign's most sought-after 19 electoral college votes in Pennsylvania.

He cleared 270 electoral votes, securing his presidency, by winning Wisconsin early Wednesday morning.

Vice-President Kamala Harris, who did not appear at her watch party in Washington Tuesday night, called Trump on Wednesday to congratulate him on his victory. 

READ: What a Trump 2.0 presidency could mean for Canada’s agri-food sector

She delivered her first postelection speech at her alma mater Howard University in Washington late Wednesday afternoon, encouraging supporters to accept the outcome while continuing the fight for "the ideals at the heart of our nation."

"The light of America's promise will always burn bright as long as we never give up, and as long as we keep fighting," she said. 

Supporters wiped away tears as Harris's speech focused on the fight for freedom, dignity and women's choices over their body.

Jayna White, 36, a fellow Howard alum, said she felt let down by America's vote.

"I feel like there were so many important and vital issues at hand … I feel like I need to brace myself for what's to come," she said.

A disheartened group gathered on the campus Wednesday discussing their disappointment, anger and, for some like 59-year-old Nadine Seiler, their fear.

"I am going to leave (the country)," Seiler said. "But I just have to decide what I'm going to do and how soon I am going to. But I am definitely out."

Matthew Lebo, a specialist in U.S. politics at Western University in London, Ont., said it's clear there was a divided and "unhappy electorate that went through COVID and rising prices and international crisis."

The Republicans took control of the U.S. Senate after flipping several Democrat seats. Results for control of the House of Representatives remained undecided early Wednesday evening.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau congratulated Trump on seizing a second term in office and said Canada and the U.S. have the world's most successful partnership.

"The friendship between Canada and the U.S. is the envy of the world," he said on X. "I know President Trump and I will work together to create more opportunity, prosperity, and security for both of our nations."

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre called the U.S. Canada's "best friend" and said he would work with the president-elect to benefit both countries. Poilievre said Trump's proposed tax cuts could lure Canadian jobs south.

"My mission: save our jobs," Poilievre said on X.

Canada will not be able to escape the geopolitical pull from the change in administration of its closest neighbour.

Trump has proposed 10% across-the-board tariffs, making the duties the centrepiece of his platform. A Canadian Chamber of Commerce report suggests those tariffs could result in around $30 billion per year in economic costs north of the border.

"It's code red in Canada-U.S. relations," said Fen Hampson, a professor of international affairs at Carleton University in Ottawa and co-chair of the Expert Group on Canada-U.S. Relations.

Hampson said Canada should not panic but must expand its effort to build relationships with U.S. lawmakers at all levels and move away from strategies of quiet diplomacy.

Canadian officials have been reaching out to members of the Republican leader's team for months, emphasizing the importance of the bilateral relationship.

Kirsten Hillman, Canada's ambassador to the U.S., also sent her congratulations to Trump and his running mate JD Vance.

"We have the great fortune of being neighbours, and the U.S. has no closer partner and ally than Canada," Hillman posted on X. "Looking forward to working together towards a more prosperous and secure future."

Trump's first administration demonstrated how vulnerable Canada can be when the former president scrapped the North American Free Trade Agreement.

Negotiating its successor, the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement, was a key test for Ottawa after Trump's 2016 victory. The trilateral agreement will come under review in 2026.

Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland said Wednesday she takes "everything that Donald Trump says very seriously" but pointed to the renegotiated trade deal as a success story in the relationship. 

"The deal that we now have that governs our economic relationship with the United States is Donald Trump's deal," she said. "He signed it, he and his team negotiated it, he is proud of it."

Former U.S. ambassador to Canada Bruce Heyman said he's been warning Canadian officials that Trump's threats of mass deportations could push a surge of people to Canada's border. He cautioned the numbers could be higher than after Trump's 2016 win.

"I am hopeful the work that has been done up to this point, and the work that I hope Canada will do, will prepare it for (potentially) pretty significant outcomes of a Trump presidency," said Heyman, who served as ambassador from 2014 to 2017.

Trump has also claimed he would not defend NATO members that don't meet defence spending targets — something Canada is not doing.

Trudeau promised to meet the target of spending the equivalent of two per cent of GDP on defence by 2032. 

But Kelly Craft, Trump's former ambassador to Canada, recently said when her old boss returns to office he'll expect Ottawa to speed up that timeline.

Defence Minister Bill Blair gave no indication that would happen.

"We've made a commitment to our NATO—all of our NATO allies, including the United States, that we have a plan to get there, and we're going to work really hard," he said Wednesday.

Blair added he expects all allies to continue supporting Ukraine, despite Trump's pledge to slash aid to the country.

Trump is the first former president to return to power since Grover Cleveland regained the White House in the 1892 election. He is the first person convicted of a felony to be elected president and, at 78, is the oldest person elected to the office. 

Vance will become the first millennial to hold the title of vice-president.

With files from The Associated Press