[Live] - Trump wins US presidential election

Millions of Americans turned out Tuesday to decide whether to send Hillary Clinton to the White House as their first woman president or to put their trust in maverick populist Donald Trump. Many regions saw long lines, despite exit polls suggesting that many voters were not enthused by the choice between the veteran Democrat and the billionaire Republican.

Donald Trump speaks at his election night rally in Manhattan, New York on November 9, 2016. Reuters/Carlo Allegri

Clinton went into the day with a slim opinion poll lead and a more obvious route to winning the key states that will decide the electoral college, whereas Trump's campaign saw gains in the run-up to the polls.

Candidates are racing to hit the magic number of 270 electoral votes, an absolute majority of the 538 members of the electoral college, with the number from each state based on its population size.

RFI has been tracking the results live since 7:00 PM ET.

We welcome you to follow our updates below, all of which are listed in ET:

3:39 PM

Here is our summary of French politicians' reactions to the Trump victory: click here

2:20 PM

European foreign affairs ministers are to hold an emergency meeting in the light of the Trump victory, Germany's foreign affairs ministry has announced.

1:00 PM

Incumbent Barack Obama called Donald Trump early Wednesday to congratulate him  and invited him to the White House for talks on Thursday, his office said.
Obama also called fellow Democrat Hillary Clinton to express his "admiration for the strong campaign she waged throughout the country," White House press secretary Josh Earnest said in a statement.
Obama was to make a statement later Wednesday about the election results.

11:45 AM

Trump's victory "opens a period of uncertainty", French President François Hollande has declared.

The Elysée presidential palace congratulated Trump in a tweet, remarking that "the American people have made their decision".

Le peuple américain vient de se prononcer. Il a élu Donald Trump. Je le félicite. J'ai aussi une pensée pour Hillary Clinton #DirectPR

— Élysée (@Elysee) November 9, 2016

11:15 AM

The European Union will continue to work with the US, EU foreign affairs chief Federica Mogherini said. 

French Enviromnment Minister Ségolène Royal says that Trump cannot prevent the Cop22 Paris climate change accord coming into effect, even though he has called global warning a Chinese hoax. The treaty stipulates that a country cannot renounce it for four years.

For the French far right's reactions click here

A full article on French reactions will be posted soon.

08:56 AM

Trump says Clinton has called him to concede defeat and that he needs the help of those who voted against him. "It's time for us to come together as one people." "I will be president of all Americans." "We will seek common ground not hostility, partnership, not conflict."

He goes on to thank his family and his supporters.

08:54 AM

Donald Trump is giving a victory speech. "I will be the president of all Americans," he promises. he says he will double growth and "have the strongest economy in the whole of the world" and have good relations with "all nations willing to get along with us".

08:35 AM

Associated Press has reported Dinald Trump elected the 45th president of the United States. Here is their dispatch:

"Donald Trump has been elected president of the United States. The Republican nominee won Wednesday after capturing Wisconsin's 10 electoral votes, putting him over the 270 threshold. Voters eager to shake up the nation's political establishment picked the celebrity businessman to become the nation's 45th president. Trump rode an astonishing wave of support from voters seeking change and willing to accept a candidate loose with facts and accused of sexual misconduct. He upset Democrat Hillary Clinton, who would have become the first woman to serve in the Oval Office. Trump struck a populist tone and placed a hardline immigration stance at his campaign's heart."

2:09 AM

Clinton will not speak tonight, says campaign chair, adding vote still too close to call. Latest results have Trump at 266 and Clinton at 218.

2:02 AM

Clinton's campaign chair is expected to speak shortly at her campaign headquarters.

2:00 AM

CNN projects Trump will win Alaska, building on his electoral college lead.

1:52 AM

French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault says comments made by Trump during the US presidential campaign give reason for "many concerns" and that Trump's personality raises questions.

1:41 AM

Our RFI electoral map has given Pennsylvania to Trump, taking his total electoral college votes to 264. He is also presently leading in at least four other states in the race to 270. Clinton's path to victory is near closed.

1:33 AM

France's National Front leader Marine LePen has tweeted her congratulations to Donald Trump, though he has not yet been declared the winner.

Félicitations au nouveau président des Etats-Unis Donald Trump et au peuple américain, libre ! MLP

— Marine Le Pen (@MLP_officiel) November 9, 2016

1:29 AM

US media report Republicans have gained control of the Senate; of 100 seats, 54 Republicans have been elected. So a Trump win would give the Republicans resounding control.

12:43 AM

US networks give Clinton western state of Nevada, bringing her total to 215 versus Trump's 244. Deciding states of Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Michigan too close to count.

12:32 AM

London futures market falls nearly 5 percent on prospect of Trump win, as the Japanese government and the central bank meet on market moves.

12:30 AM

News that the second death reported earlier in Tuesday's shooting outside of two California polling stations was that of the shooter. Two women are wounded. It is still unclear what prompted the attack.

12:20 AM

S&P futures tumble 5 percent anticipating a Trump win.

12:10 AM

Trump leading electoral college at 245 over Clinton's 209.

11:56 PM

Tokyo stocks dive 5.5 percent, as Trump closes in on White House.

11:43 PM

Canada's citizenship and immigration website has crashed.

11:39 PM

Trump wins Iowa, edging closer to White House.

11:08 PM

Trump carries critical state of North Carolina.

11:07 PM

Clinton wins California and Hawaii, bringing her electoral college count to 197 versus Trump's 201. 

11:00 PM

Trump wins key swing state of Florida in major blow to Clinton camp.

10:46 PM

Clinton takes Colorado. Our latest RFI election map stands at 168 for Trump and 131 for Clinton.

10:36 PM

Clinton notches win in battleground state Virginia.

10:32 PM

A second person has died in the California shooting incident that took place near two polling stations on Tuesday, forcing those two polls to close. Details about the incident and what prompted it remained sketchy.

10:25 PM

Trump wins key battleground state Ohio: TV networks.

9:59 PM

Do investors know something exit polls are missing? Oil, the Mexican peso, and Dow futures all slide. Our RFI latest results have Trump at 137 electoral votes and Clinton at 104, with the ballots near tied in Florida.

9:55 PM

Polls about to close in Iowa, Montana, Nevada and Utah.

9:34 PM

Hong Kong, Toyko stocks fall as results show tight US election.

9:27 PM

Donald Trump has an electoral college lead at this point, 128 to Clinton's 97, though reliable blue strongholds on the West Coast still have to come in with their sizable vote totals.

9:18 PM

Asian equities have reversed early gains in volatile trade as early results from the US presidential election indicated a knife-edge result, with market favourite Hillary Clinton struggling in key battleground Florida.

8:50 PM

Republicans set to keep House of Representatives majority: US networks.

8:43 PM

All results thus far are in line with pollsters' predictions.

8:13 PM

Florida's Marco Rubio, who failed in his bid for the Republican nomination, re-elected to US Senate: networks; meanwhile the presidential race in Florida remains on a razor's edge.

8:10 PM

An aide to former US president George W. Bush says Bush cast a protest vote of sorts, choosing "none of the above" rather than fellow Republican Donald Trump or Democrat Hillary Clinton.

8:08 PM

US network CNN, based on exit polls, projects Clinton will win Delaware, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Rhode Island and the District of Columbia, while Trump will win Oklahoma, Mississippi and Tennessee.

8:00 PM

Polls close in Alabama, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Washington, DC.  

7:55 PM

Asian equities rise at the start of trading on Wednesday as early US presidential election results are trickling in, with initial bets going on a win for Clinton.

7:32 PM

Two polling stations east of Los Angeles, California have been placed on lockdown following a nearby shooting that killed one person and wounded three.

7:30 PM

At the legendary Paris watering hole, Harry's Bar, Clinton scored a landslide victory on Tuesday in a traditional  "straw poll", garnering 513 votes to 188 for Trump.

7:04 PM

US networks report Trump wins Indiana and Kentucky, Clinton takes Vermont; Georgia, South Carolina, Virginia too close to call.

7:00 PM

Polls close in first six states.

6:50 PM

Australian stocks climbed 0.80 percent at the open Wednesday in anticipation of a victory for Hillary Clinton in the US presidential election.

6:48 PM

Top US musicians, including Taylor Swift, Katy Perry, Jay Z and Beyonce, are taking to social media urging fans to vote. Although not all have disclosed their ballot picks, celebrities overwhelmingly backed Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton during the presidential campaign.