British Prime Minister Keir Starmer stated that he "looks forward to the opportunity" to work with Trump, hoping that the "special relationship between the UK and the USA will continue to flourish on both sides of the Atlantic for many years to come." Germany’s Chancellor Olaf Scholz echoed these sentiments, expressing confidence that the countries will continue collaborating "to foster prosperity and freedom on both sides of the Atlantic." French President Emmanuel Macron also affirmed his readiness to work with Trump, as before, "for greater peace and prosperity."

In their congratulatory messages, various world leaders referenced the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky remarked that he remembers a "remarkable meeting" with Trump in September, during which they "discussed in detail the strategic partnership between Ukraine and the United States, a victory plan, and paths to end Russian aggression against Ukraine." Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, in his message, expressed hope that "regional and global crises, especially the Palestinian issue and the Russia-Ukraine war, will cease" and that "more efforts will be made to create a fairer world."

In response to the U.S. election, the Kremlin recalled Trump’s promises to quickly end the Russia-Ukraine conflict if elected. Russian presidential spokesperson Dmitry Peskov noted that the U.S. "has the capacity to help bring an end to the conflict [in Ukraine]," but added that "it cannot be achieved overnight." Peskov also mentioned that he was "unaware" of any plans by President Vladimir Putin to congratulate Trump, saying, "Let us not forget that this concerns an unfriendly country that is directly and indirectly involved in the war against our state."

Simultaneously, the U.S. held congressional elections, where the Republican Party secured a majority in the Senate by winning seats in West Virginia and Ohio, bringing their total to at least 51 seats in the 100-seat chamber. According to American media forecasts, Republicans have also retained a majority in the House of Representatives.

At 78, Donald Trump, as CNN notes, will be the second former U.S. president to return to the White House after a previous defeat. Trump first won the presidency in 2016 but lost in 2020. The first president to make such a return was Grover Cleveland, who won in 1884, lost in 1888, and won again in 1892. Trump is now the same age as Joe Biden was when he took office after the 2020 election, making Biden the oldest serving head of state at the time.