US election: Donald Trump supporters celebrate fall of Democrats at Trump Tower as Joe Biden says ‘we lost’

It was a tale of two American cities and two vastly different gatherings on Thursday.

In Washington DC, outgoing President Joe Biden was met by lengthy applause from staff and reporters grimly coming to grips with the looming close to the long-serving Democrat’s time in the White House, and indeed, his five-decade strong life in American politics.

In New York City, buskers played the Trump campaign’s anthem as supporters of the 45th and soon-to-be 47th President made the pilgrimages to celebrate Donald Trump’s victory at the Manhattan tower bearing his name.

Mr Biden’s sombre commiseration speech to the party faithful held plenty of rhetoric and pledges, but the Democrat veteran was blunt about accepting the outcome in the wake of Vice President Kamala Harris’ resounding defeat.

“We lost,” Mr Biden said.

“For over 200 years, America has carried on the greatest experiment in self-government in the history of the world.

“Where people vote and choose their own leader and they do it peacefully.”

The scale of the Republican win — the GOP are projected to pick up yet another seat in a Senate already under their control and remain on track to hold their House majority — will be cause for soul-searching in the Democratic Party. It was a topic Mr Biden, who was forced off the party’s presidential ticket after his disastrous July debate performance, didn’t shy from.

“Setbacks are unavoidable, but giving up is unforgivable,” Mr Biden, 81, said.

“We all get knocked down, but the measure of our character, as my dad would say, is how quickly we get back up.

“Remember, a defeat does not mean we are defeated. We lost this battle.

“The America of your dreams is calling for you to get back up. That’s the story of America for over 240 years and counting.”

“The American experience endures. We are going to be okay. But we need to stay engaged, we need to keep going and above all, we need to keep the faith.”

Mr Biden paid tribute to Ms Harris as “a partner and a public servant” and attempted to put a positive spin on his time in the White House, particularly when it came to the economy and acknowledged funds for infrastructure to help rural communities.

“We’re leaving behind the strongest economy in the world,” he told the crowd at the Rose Garden. “Together, we’ve changed America for the better.”

Start spreading the news

The sober tones of the outgoing President’s speech were a stark juxtaposition to the jubilant scenes in The Big Apple near Mr Trump’s 200m high skyscraper.

A busker on 5th avenue near the closest subway stop to the building nearby played God Bless the USA by Lee Greenwood, the song used by Team Trump throughout the 2024 campaign.

It was a welcome soundtrack for Mario Laboy, 80, who stood waving his Donald Trump flag and wearing a “Make America Great Again” (original) hat outside the President-elect’s golden hotel and residence,.

“I’ve been coming to this place since January 16 2016, four days a week for nine years,” he said.

“The big winner in this election is America. America is not safe at the present time. Democrats opened the border and between 10-15 million immigrants have come to this country.

“We want immigrants but they have to be legal. Over 100,000 criminals have come here and crime is out of hand.”

Mr Laboy came to New York in 1962 from Puerto Rico, the US territory that became a flashpoint in the final week of the election campaign, describing himself as a “proud immigrant who worked his way up.”

It was in New York at one of Mr Trump’s final campaign rallies that conservative comedian Tony Hinchcliffe set the tone for the countdown to the election by describing Puerto Rico as a “floating island of garbage”.

The Harris camp was quick to seize on the remarks, launching a flurry of attack ads and endorsements from high profile Puerto Ricans, and Latino and Hispanic superstars, such as Bad Bunny and Jennifer Lopez, in a desperate bid to woo the crucial demographic, particularly in battleground swing states such as Pennsylvania.

The strategy backfired in a big way, something that didn’t escape Mr Laboy’s attention.

“Spanish people are very conservative,” he said, explaining major Hispanic and Latino vote for Mr Trump.

“We like his message, it’s clear and true. The lies that democrats have promoted about them, we’ve caught up.

“Donald Trump loves America. He cares about the welfare of every citizen. He is not a racist. That’s the message the Democrats spread to demean him.”

Mr Labvoy had a simple message for Kamala Harris — change.

“The lies she made up, the vitriol she spread. No. Not in America.

“I’m proud to tell her, Kamala Harris, you’re fired.”

His sentiment was shared by thousands in MAGA gear passing Trump Tower, many of whom made the trip specifically to visit the landmark.

Seth Rosenberg from New York has voted for Mr Trump three times and he was ecstatic when he announced he would run in 2024.

“Donald Trump just had to do this one more time. America needed him to step back in,” he said.

While Mr Biden used Thursday’s speech to try and shut down ongoing concerns about the integrity of the US election system in the tumultuous wake of the 2020 poll, Mr Rosenberg still “absolutely” thinks Democrats committed voter fraud in their win four years ago.

“We are going to prove that Joe Biden did not get 81 million votes,” he said.

However, he thinks the party’s supporters won’t care.

Mr Rosenberg also doesn’t think Mr Trump is a nazi.

“He was president for four years. I’m Jewish-American, I’m still here,” he said.

He is ready for Mr Trump to fix immigration, something he says the Hispanic community is backing him on as well.

“They are Americans too. They were always going to vote for Donald Trump.”

Polls were tight for all 107 days of the election after Ms Harris was pushed to the top of the ticket.

Colleen, born and raised in New York, is a proud outspoken supporter of Mr Trump, but was still surprised at the scope of the result.

“I am shocked that he won, I am shocked he won the popular vote but I am so glad he won,” she said.

“The country is fed up, they see the difference.”

Colleen has family who lost their job because they didn’t get a COVID vaccination and cannot understand how immigrants without flu shots were allowed in.

Now a resident of The Bronx, the “open-minded” Republican thinks the Democrats have lost touch and forgotten about the middle class.

“When you are parading Oprah around and you are telling me how to vote, f... you broad,” she said.

She is also excited for America to put America first again, and stop sending billions in support for international wars.

“We have our own needs here. I can’t worry about Ukraine. We can’t take on everyone else’s s... all the time.”

Caitlyn and Tyler made the trip to Trump Tower on Thursday as they needed to visit to celebrate.

There were moments of negativity outside Mr Trump’s golden palace, with Democrats or never-Trumpers berating the proud MAGA fans.

“You don’t like the constitution because you like this guy, you’re an a***hole,” one passerby yelled.

Police had stepped up their presence in the area “ready for a potential escalation”, one officer said, speaking on the condition of anonymity.

However, Trump supporters said what was happening outside Trump Tower was nothing compared to the crime from immigration issues or financially challenged Americans across the city.

“He needs to deliver,” Mr Rosenberg added. “He promised a lot of things and if they don’t happen, we might have a problem.”