A line repeated by his vice presidential pick, Ohio Senator J. D. Vance.
How Electoral College, not popular votes, picks US president
(NANFeatures)
International
How Electoral College, not popular votes, picks US president
How Electoral College, not popular votes, picks US president
Although the United States prides itself on being the world’s preeminent democracy, where each person can have their say about who should be president, the Constitution calls for states to choose “electors” who do the actual electing.
This is known as the Electoral College.
This includes the first presidential election in 1789, won by George Washington; there have been 59 U.S. elections.
In all but five, two in this century, the president has won both the popular votes and the Electoral College votes.
In 2000, Democratic candidate Al Gore garnered 543,895 more votes nationwide than Republican George W. Bush.
But in a contentious race that went all the way up to the Supreme Court, the judges decided to end a recount in Florida, giving the state’s then 25 electoral votes to Bush.
This took Bush past the magic number of 270 electoral votes and ensured him the presidency.
In 2016, when Donald Trump was elected, Hillary Clinton won the popular vote by a much bigger margin, receiving 2.9 million more votes nationwide.
But Trump became president because he garnered 304 electoral votes to Clinton’s 227.
If the number of electoral votes is tied, then the election is decided by the newly elected House of Representatives.
– How the electoral votes work –
Each state is allotted electors equal to their number of representatives in Congress.
This means there are 538 electors in total: 435 representatives and 100 senators, plus three for the District of Columbia.
If a candidate wins 270 electors or more, therefore, he or she wins the presidency.
In 48 states, the candidate with the most votes, however slim the margin, wins all the state’s electoral votes.
Maine and Nebraska do things differently and allocate electoral votes by individual congressional districts.
Some critics regard the Electoral College as an anachronism and would replace it with a national popular vote.
They say that the Electoral College makes a mockery of the “one person, one vote” system the country extols.
Furthermore, it causes candidates to concentrate their campaigns primarily on a handful of swing states where the vote could go either way, turning the majority of voters elsewhere in the country into bystanders.
But proponents say the reverse would happen if the president were elected by the popular votes.
Then candidates would concentrate their campaigning in the big states—California, Texas, and New York—and voters in smaller states would be the onlookers.
But what really do the two major candidates in the U.S. presidential election represent?
Kamala Harris is the first woman, first black person, and first person of South Asian descent to be vice president of the United States.
After four years in the second highest office, she now wants to make history again by holding the top job.
She received President Joe Biden’s blessing when he stepped back from being the Democratic candidate just three months ago, triggering her whirlwind campaign.
Harris was born on Oct. 20, 1964, in Oakland, California. She often touts her middle-class upbringing to voters: her father Donald migrated from Jamaica to study economics; her mother Shyamala, a cancer researcher and civil rights activist, came from India.
They married in 1963 and separated when Harris was 5 years old.
Harris, 60, has largely played down her gender and race. But she has said that India is an important part of her life.
When she and her younger sister Maya were children, their mother travelled with them to India almost every other year to see relatives there—and to instill in them a love of Indian food.
Shyamala died of colon cancer in 2009. Harris rarely speaks of her father, who went on to become a professor at Stanford University. She once told an interviewer that they are not close.
Harris became the first black district attorney of San Francisco in 2002, and later she served for six years as California’s attorney general.
When she moved to the U.S. Senate in 2017, she used her experience as a prosecutor to make her mark at high-profile hearings by grilling witnesses, from Trump officials to Supreme Court nominees.
Harris met her partner Doug Emhoff, an entertainment lawyer, relatively late in life.
A friend set up a blind date for the two of them in California, where they were living at the time in 2013.
They married the following year.
Emhoff has two adult children from his first marriage: Cole and Ella.
As the first husband of a vice president, Emhoff is also the first “Second Gentleman” of the United States.
Should Harris win and become the first woman to ever hold the presidency, he would be the very first “First Gentleman.”
Donald Trump’s rise to the U.S. presidency, which he held from 2017-2021, upset many assumptions and taboos, but perhaps just as surprising is that he has brushed off two impeachments, a criminal conviction, and several other threats to contend again for the White House.
His come-from-behind win against Hillary Clinton in 2016, by claiming outsider status and promising to bring a businessman’s acumen for dealmaking to the White House, shocked the U.S. political system and fundamentally changed the Republican party.
In 2024, four years after losing to Joe Biden, he still casts himself as the man to shake up U.S. politics by taking on the corrupt elites.
All the while he has kept his brash campaign style, prone to riffing on theories well outside the mainstream, and rarely shying away from an opportunity to personally insult or belittle his opponents.
If Trump wins, the 78-year-old would be the oldest person in U.S. history elected president.
Born June 14, 1946, he was the fourth of five children of Frederick Trump, a real estate magnate who bequeathed a small New York empire to his family.
At age 13, Trump’s parents sent him to a military academy.
The future president went on to study at Fordham University and then the University of Pennsylvania’s prestigious Wharton School of Business.
After graduating from Wharton, he joined his father’s business and, in 1974, became its president and renamed it the Trump Organisation.
Investments in hotels, casinos, golf courses, luxury apartments, and beauty pageants followed.
As the star of the TV reality show “The Apprentice,” he relished delivering bad news to failed contenders, telling them curtly, “You are fired.”
Trump dipped into politics from time to time but seemed galvanised under the administration of Barack Obama and morphed into a right-wing populist.
He loudly peddled the lie that Obama was not born in the United States.
Trump’s critics, which include several high-profile members of his first administration, have cast him as chaotic, divisive, and a threat to democracy.
General John Kelly, his former chief of staff, recently likened him to a “fascist.”
His rhetoric has been crude and dark at rallies, veering from crass insults to false claims and menacing warnings, like his suggestion this month he could use the military to handle what he called “the enemy from within.”
Like in 2016, his 2024 campaign has put an anti-immigration stance front and centre.
In 2016, he said some Mexican immigrants were rapists and murderers; this year he baselessly accused Haitian immigrants of eating pets in the town of Springfield, Ohio.
International
World Leaders Gather in Paris Over Strait of Hormuz Crisis
World Leaders Gather in Paris Over Strait of Hormuz Crisis
Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron will this Friday co-host an emergency international summit in Paris aimed at securing the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, following escalating tensions that have disrupted one of the world’s most critical energy corridors.
The announcement by Downing Street comes amid growing global concern over the closure of the narrow maritime passage, which connects the Persian Gulf to the Arabian Sea and serves as a vital route for nearly a fifth of the world’s oil supply.
Rising Tensions and Global Impact
The crisis surrounding the Strait of Hormuz has intensified in recent days, with heightened military posturing and reported threats to commercial shipping raising fears of a broader regional conflict. Although officials have yet to publicly confirm the precise trigger for the disruption, analysts point to ongoing geopolitical friction involving Iran and Western allies.
Energy markets have already begun reacting, with oil prices experiencing volatility amid fears of prolonged supply disruptions. Industry experts warn that any sustained blockage could trigger inflationary pressures globally, affecting fuel prices, manufacturing, and food supply chains.
Focus of the Paris Summit
Diplomatic sources indicate that the Paris summit will bring together leaders from Europe, the Middle East, and key global stakeholders, including representatives from maritime security alliances.
Top on the agenda will be:
- Immediate de-escalation of tensions in the Gulf
- Coordinated naval security to protect commercial vessels
- Diplomatic engagement with regional actors
- Frameworks to guarantee long-term stability in the waterway
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A joint UK-French statement emphasized the urgency of collective action, noting that “freedom of navigation is essential to global economic stability.”
Strategic Importance of the Strait
The Strait of Hormuz remains one of the most geopolitically sensitive chokepoints in the world. At its narrowest, it is just about 33 kilometers wide, yet it handles massive daily shipments of crude oil and liquefied natural gas from major producers such as Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and the United Arab Emirates.
Any disruption to this route not only threatens energy security but also risks drawing in global powers with strategic interests in the region.
International Reactions
Several governments have expressed support for the initiative by Keir Starmer and Emmanuel Macron, describing the summit as a critical step toward preventing further escalation.
The United Nations has also called for restraint and dialogue, urging all parties to prioritize diplomatic solutions over confrontation.
Outlook
While expectations remain cautious, diplomats say the summit could serve as a turning point in easing tensions and restoring safe passage through the Strait. However, much will depend on the willingness of key regional actors to engage constructively.
With global markets on edge and geopolitical risks mounting, Friday’s meeting in Paris is being closely watched as a test of international cooperation in the face of a rapidly evolving crisis.
World Leaders Gather in Paris Over Strait of Hormuz Crisis
International
Pope Leo XIV Rejects Trump Criticism, Says “I Am Not Afraid of the US President”
Pope Leo XIV Rejects Trump Criticism, Says “I Am Not Afraid of the US President”
Pope Leo XIV has pushed back against criticism from U.S. President Donald Trump, insisting he will not be intimidated and reaffirming his global calls for peace amid rising international tensions.
The pontiff made the remarks on Monday while speaking to journalists aboard a papal aircraft en route to Algiers, the first stop on his Africa diplomatic tour, where he is expected to hold meetings focused on interfaith dialogue, migration, and conflict resolution across the continent.
Responding to Trump’s recent comments, Pope Leo said his appeals for peace were not political attacks but part of his spiritual mission.
“The things I say are not meant as attacks on anyone,” he said. “I am not a politician. I am inviting all people to look for ways of building bridges of peace and reconciliation, of looking for ways to avoid war any time that’s possible.”
He added firmly: “I am not afraid of the Trump administration.”
The comments come after Trump, speaking on his Truth Social platform, criticised the Pope’s foreign policy stance, accusing him of being overly critical of U.S. positions on global security issues. Trump also suggested that Leo’s election as pope was influenced by expectations that a U.S.-born pontiff would handle relations with him more effectively.
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“If I wasn’t in the White House, Leo would not be in the Vatican,” Trump wrote, also arguing that he does not support any global leadership approach that would tolerate Iran acquiring nuclear weapons.
During the in-flight press briefing, Pope Leo reaffirmed that his role is guided by the teachings of the Gospel, not political alignment.
“The message of the Gospel is very clear: ‘Blessed are the peacemakers,’” he said. “I will not shy away from announcing the message of the Gospel.”
He rejected attempts to frame his remarks as political confrontation with the U.S. administration, stressing that the Church’s mission is centered on peacebuilding, reconciliation, and humanitarian concerns.
“To put my message on the same plane as what the president has attempted to do here is not understanding what the message of the Gospel is,” he added. “I am sorry to hear that, but I will continue with what I believe is the mission of the Church in the world today.”
The exchange has drawn global attention, highlighting growing tensions between religious leadership and political rhetoric amid ongoing conflicts in several regions worldwide. Vatican officials have not issued any additional statement beyond the Pope’s in-flight remarks, while the White House has also not released an official response.
The Pope’s Africa visit is expected to continue with engagements focused on peace advocacy, religious cooperation, and discussions on global stability.
Pope Leo XIV Rejects Trump Criticism, Says “I Am Not Afraid of the US President”
International
Trump Claims 158 Iranian Ships Destroyed as US Enforces Naval Blockade in Gulf Region
Trump Claims 158 Iranian Ships Destroyed as US Enforces Naval Blockade in Gulf Region
U.S. President Donald Trump has claimed that Iran’s naval forces have been “completely obliterated,” alleging that 158 Iranian naval vessels have been destroyed, while issuing a fresh warning that any remaining ships approaching the U.S.-enforced blockade will be “immediately eliminated.”
Trump made the remarks in a post on Truth Social, where he stated that Iran’s navy had been “laid at the bottom of the sea,” adding that only a small number of fast-attack boats remain operational. He warned that any such vessels nearing the blockade zone would face an “immediate” and decisive military response.
The statement comes as the United States begins full enforcement of a naval blockade on Iran, confirmed by the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), covering key maritime zones including the Arabian Gulf, Gulf of Oman, and approaches to the Strait of Hormuz.
According to CENTCOM, the operation—activated at 10:00 a.m. Eastern Time—is aimed at restricting all maritime traffic in and out of Iranian ports and coastal waters. Officials said the move is part of a broader strategy to increase pressure on Tehran over its nuclear programme and regional activities.
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The U.S. military further stated that the blockade applies to all vessels attempting to access Iranian ports regardless of nationality, while allowing monitored passage through international shipping lanes such as the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most strategic oil routes.
The escalation reportedly follows the collapse of weekend diplomatic negotiations held in Pakistan, where U.S. and Iranian representatives failed to reach a de-escalation agreement.
Trump’s latest comments combined updated claims of Iranian naval losses with a renewed warning that any surviving fast-attack craft would be “immediately eliminated” if they challenge U.S. forces enforcing the blockade.
Global oil markets reacted sharply to the developments, with reports indicating that crude prices surged above $100 per barrel amid fears of disruption to global energy supplies passing through the Middle East.
The Strait of Hormuz, through which nearly 20% of global oil trade flows, remains the central flashpoint in the crisis, with analysts warning that any sustained disruption could trigger a wider global energy shock.
Iran has not yet issued an official response to the blockade or Trump’s latest claims. However, Iranian authorities have previously warned that any attempt to restrict its maritime access would be considered a violation of sovereignty and could provoke retaliation.
International observers have expressed concern over the rapid escalation, warning that heightened naval deployments by both sides could increase the risk of direct confrontation in the Gulf region.
Military activity in the area remains ongoing, and officials say the situation is still evolving with further developments expected.
Trump Claims 158 Iranian Ships Destroyed as US Enforces Naval Blockade in Gulf Region
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