Businessman Donald Trump Shocks World With 2016 Presidential Victory

Republican Donald Trump has shocked the world by winning the 2016 presidential race against Democrat Hillary Clinton.

The Election Day that crept into the early morning hours of Wednesday defied national polls. Wisconsin became a key state in Trump’s path to the White House after pushing the Republican over the 270 vote mark in the Electoral College.

The Associated Press called the race at 1:30 a.m., declaring Trump the 45th president-elect of the United States.

In the latest Marquette University Law School Poll, Clinton led Trump by 6 percentage points among likely Wisconsin voters, 46-40.

The prospect of a Trump presidency was unnerving businesspeople and economists Tuesday night and Wednesday morning, many of whom portray him as a reckless novice who threatens to disrupt trade and the global economy.

Financial markets sank Wednesday as Trump steadily approached victory after a campaign marked by fiery anti-foreign rhetoric and promises to tear up trade deals, restrict immigration and lock up political rivals.

Trump’s belligerent tone, shifting and radical positions on key issues and lack of detailed plans left many saying it was impossible to know what he might do in office.

Paul Ashford, chief U.S. economist for Capital Economics, asked in a report whether Trump would be “the demagogue from the campaign trail” or was able to become a “statesmanlike figure who leads in a more measured manner.”

Clinton’s campaign chairman John Podesta said her campaign had nothing to say Tuesday about the state of the presidential race when Trump was closing in on a victory.

Podesta told the crowd Clinton “has done an amazing job” and “is not done yet.”

Clinton later called Trump and conceded, several news outlets reported.

During his acceptance speech, Trump thanked Clinton for her tough campaign before saying Democrats, Republicans and Independents “need to come together as one united people, it’s time.”

He stressed unifying the U.S. with the help of everyone in the country and acknowledging their contributions and to society and their potential.