How world media reacted to Donald Trump winning US election

Donald Trump is gearing up for his second term as US president following his remarkable win in the US election.

The 45th president will soon become the 47th president after he secured a landslide win on Wednesday. Trump secured the electoral college votes and the popular vote, shocking his rival Kamala Harris and the Democrats, who may have thought the race would be closer.

Trump’s victory marks an extraordinary comeback for a former president who refused to accept defeat four years ago, was convicted of felony charges and survived two assassination attempts.

His win has not just been felt in the US – the rest of the world has also been reacting to his victory, with the president-elect’s face featured on the front pages of every front page in the UK.

The Daily Mirror described Trump’s re-election as “a dark day for America and the world”, claiming he “won by stoking divisions and whipping up hatred”. The Guardian was equally damning, saying that issues like abortion, immigration and the environment “are all are at stake with Trump and his allies back in power”.

At the other end of the scale, the Daily Mail heralded Trump’s election for a second term as “a genuinely amazing and historic comeback”. Meanwhile, The Sun proudly declared to not be surprised at all by “the second coming of president Trump”, with the paper adding they “wish him luck” during his second tenure of the Oval Office.

What did the US newspaper media say about Trump's win?

Unsurprisingly, reactions in the US have been mixed, reflecting the political leanings of the newspapers in the country.

The New York Post features a smiling Trump in its front page, with the headline: ‘He’s Don It Again!’ The paper said the president-elect has pulled off a “comeback for the ages”.

The Washington Post – which did not endorse any candidate in the election – features a triumphant Trump with his wife Melania on the front page and says the new “Trump era” may give him “license for radical change”. It says the election saw “a historic realignment of the electorate”.

The New York Times highlights how Trump has gone from “outcast to felon to president-elect” and said the election was decided on by “everyday worries” rather than “democracy fears”.

The Wall Street Journal says that Trump won “by staying true to Donald Trump”, while the front page of the San Francisco Chronicle quotes Trump by saying that it is “time to unite”.

How did the rest of the world react to Trump's win?

Perhaps the most notable front page from the world’s media was from German newspaper Die Zeit. Their response was simply to headline Trump’s victory: “F***.”

The paper wrote that Germans were unable to sleep and were anxiously following the results throughout the night. The article on the win states: “Half past five is also a perfectly appropriate time for feeling helpless, for feeling sorry for yourself, for panicking and for sheer horror.”

Also in Germany, the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung headlined with “Good Morning America.” While that may not be particularly noteworthy, the picture of Oscar the Grouch, the grumpy puppet from Sesame Street that lives in a bin, underneath the headline perhaps says more than the headline.

Indian newspaper The Economic Times mocked up Trump as the Godfather, with X owner Elon Musk also in the scene. It headlined the paper “Don II: An Offer America Couldn’t Refuse”, painting him in a dictatorial light.

In Australia, the Herald Sun called Trump the ‘comeback king’, while The Australian harks back to Trump’s days on The Apprentice, telling readers that he had been “rehired”.

The Age picked horror movie The Shining as its riff on Trump’s victory, showing the president-elect’s face over a map of the US. They headlined “Here’s Donny”, echoing the infamous Jack Nicholson line from the film as he axes his way into his wife’s bedroom.

The paper also highlights Trump‘s 34 felonies, as well as his impeachment, accusations of racism and misogyny and “inciting a riot”.

Meanwhile, papers in the Philippines are more focused on the news of Trump’s comeback than puns or photoshops.

The Philippine Daily Inquirer says Trump “recaptures” the White House, while The Manila Times features a photo of trump with his family as they splash on his “comeback”.

Watch: Kamala Harris vows to ‘continue this fight’ in election concession speech