President-elect Donald Trump has formally won the Electoral College, officially securing the presidency on Tuesday.
Trump reached the milestone when electors in Texas awarded him the state’s 40 electoral votes and sealed his victory.
Texas officials joined other presidential electors across the country as they convened at their respective state capitols to cast their electoral ballots and formalize Trump’s victory over Vice President Kamala Harris in the 2024 election held on November 5.
Electoral votes for the election were allocated to states based on the 2020 Census.
Each state’s electoral votes are equivalent to their number of House representatives and two senators representing their states. The Electoral College consists of 538 electors, and a majority of 270 is needed to win the presidency.
Trump surpassed the required number on Tuesday, officially securing 312 electoral votes, while Harris won 226.
Earlier Tuesday, the president-elect celebrated Pennsylvania’s electoral vote certification. Trump won the crucial swing state, securing its 19 electoral votes.
“Our BIG Pennsylvania WIN. So nice!” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post, along with an image of the state’s official electoral college ballot.
Trump notably won all seven battleground states in the election.
Nationally, Trump also won the popular vote.
Additionally, a Republican trifecta was secured in the election. Along with the presidency, Republicans will also have control of the House and Senate.
“America has given us an unprecedented mandate,” Trump declared after winning the election.
Trump’s incoming administration is actively preparing for his second term in office.
New Team Takes Shape
Since his decisive victory, Trump has announced nominations for his next presidential Cabinet and White House staff.
The president-elect’s Cabinet picks continue to meet with lawmakers on Capitol Hill this week to shore up support from their confirmations, including Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Trump’s pick for Health and Human Services secretary, and Tulsi Gabbard, his choice for intelligence chief.
Also on Tuesday, Trump announced two more nominations for U.S. ambassadorships.
Herschel Walker, retired NFL player and former Georgia Senate candidate, was selected to serve as the U.S. ambassador to the Bahamas.
Trump also chose Nicole McGraw, a philanthropist and businesswoman, as the next U.S. ambassador to Croatia.
Meanwhile, electors have until Dec. 25 to send their results to Washington, D.C. According to the Constitution, Harris must declare the result of a presidential election as the official head of the Senate. In a joint session of Congress on Jan. 6, lawmakers will certify the results of the 2024 presidential election.
Trump and JD Vance will be officially sworn in as president and vice president on Inauguration Day, set for Jan. 20.
