People react to the announcement that Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has been elected President of the US. Photo / AP
People react to the announcement that Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has been elected President of the US. Photo / AP
Donald Trump is America's next president. Let that sink in for a moment.
The businessman-turned-Republican nominee swept to victory on Tuesday as a fragmented United States prepared to usher in a new era.
Heading in to Tuesday's vote, Mr Trump was an outsider and Hillary Clinton was the firm favourite. Few saw the result coming but most agree it will have global repercussions.
In New York City, Trump headquarters is hosting a victory party that will go well into the night. While the champagne flowed, Hillary Clinton pulled out of an appearance at her own party.
The rest of the world is coming to grips with the reality of Donald Trump leading the free world. This is how the world reacted.
HIGH PROFILE AMERICANS
American political activist Anthony "Van" Jones unleashed on Mr Trump, calling the results a "white lash" against a black president and against a changing America.
"There's another side to this," he told CNN.
"People have talked about a miracle. I'm hearing about a nightmare. It's hard to be a parent tonight for a lot of us. You tell your kids 'Don't be a bully', you tell your kids 'Don't be a bigot', you tell your kids 'Do your homework and be prepared'.
"I have Muslim friends that are texting me tonight saying 'Should I leave the country?' I have families of immigrants that are terrified tonight. This was many things, this was a rebellion against the elites, but it was also something else. "We haven't talked about race. This was a white lash against a changing country, it was a white lash against a black president in part. That's the part where the pain comes."
Malcolm Turnbull waited until Donald Trump had accepted victory before making an official comment.
He thanked President Barack Obama before moving on to the "historic" campaign.
"Let me reassure all Australians, the ties that bind Australia and the United States are profound and strong and based on our enduring national interests.
Malcolm Turnbull on Wednesday. Photo / News Corp Australia
"Politicians ... will come and go ... but the bond between our two nations are so strong, are so committed, that we will continue to work with our friends through the Trump administration.
"We have so much in common."
Earlier, Foreign Minister Julie Bishop told Sky News that Australia would work constructively with the new president.
"I have consistently said that the Australian government will work constructively" with the next president, Ms Bishop said.
"I can say that we are ready ... (and) it will be incumbent to engage with the new administration in a most constructive way.
"Donald Trump has made statements that would indicate he's a classic isolatist ... but I point out should Donald Trump win the presidency, it is likely he would win a majority (of both houses of Congress). We must see the opportunities for Australia."
It was a measured response from the foreign minister. Other Australians were not quite so measured.
Senator Pauline Hanson posted a congratulatory tweet to Mr Trump, declaring herself ready to help in any way she can.
"Mr President my door will always be open. Congrats on behalf of Pauline Hanson's One Nation party of Oz."
@realDonaldTrump Mr President my door will always be open. Congrats on behalf of Pauline Hanson's One Nation Party of OZ. #MAGA#auspol
The official government of Canada immigration site crashed around 2.30pm AEDT Wednesday as news of a Mr Trump presidency appeared more and more likely. News.com.au could not access the site two hours later.
Not joking: Canada's Immigration site just crashed. #Elections2016
The response from the French Ambassador to the US summed up some of the discord towards the United States.
On Twitter, Gerard Araud wrote: "After Brexit and this election, everything is now possible. A world is collapsing before our eyes. Dizziness."
The tweet has since been deleted.
British politician Nigel Farage, who led the push for Brexit, was in a buoyant mood on Wednesday. He said he was not "particularly surprised".
"You know, 2016 is going to be the year of two great political revolutions. I thought Brexit was big but boy, this looks like it's going to be even bigger."
German Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen said the strong vote for Trump was "a big shock,".
Von der Leyen spoke on German public Television on Wednesday, saying many questions remain unanswered,
"We Europeans obviously know that as partners in the NATO, Donald Trump will naturally ask what 'are you achieving for the alliance', but we will also ask 'what's your stand toward the alliance".'
Indonesian President Joko Widodo said the government will continue to work with whoever becomes president. About 100,000 Indonesians live in the United States.
Global markets went into meltdown, too. US stock index futures have tumbled. Financial markets reacted violently to the results, with S&P futures down more than four per cent and Dow Industrials futures falling more than 700 points.
The Australian stock market has stemmed some of the bleeding at the end of a volatile session. The benchmark S&P ASX/200 index closed 1.9 per cent lower, having been as high as 1 per cent up and down as low as 3.9 per cent.
World leaders remained tight-lipped ahead of an official declaration but made their thoughts well known in the months before voting got underway.
"The fact is, Cape Breton is lovely all times of the year and if people do want to make choices that perhaps suit their lifestyles better, Canada is always welcoming and opening," Canadian PM Justin Trudeau said.
"Their mainstream politics are at (an) all-time low, that's how we see it ... We always hope that next (US) president will be much wiser than previous one," Syrian President Bashar Al Assad said.
"America has lost now. I've realigned myself in your ideological flow," Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte said. "And maybe I will also go to Russia to talk to Putin and tell him that there are three of us against the world: China, Philippines and Russia. It's the only way."
DONALD TRUMP
President-elect Donald Trump making his acceptance speech. Photo / AP
Trump took the podium in New York for a victory speech, declaring "America will no longer settle for anything less than the best.
"We're going to dream of things for our country, beautiful things, successful things, once again. I want to tell the world that while we'll always put America's interests first, we will deal fairly with everyone."
