NEW YORK - US Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has been elected the 47th president of the United States, facing significant challenges of "healing" a deeply divided nation.

Early Wednesday, Trump garnered over 270 Electoral College votes, defeating his Democratic opponent, Vice President Kamala Harris. He became the second US president to serve non-consecutive terms after Grover Cleveland, who was elected in 1884 and 1892.

Alongside the presidential race, the Republican Party regained control of the Senate after flipping two seats from the Democratic Party.

Addressing his supporters after his victory, Trump said his team will help the country "heal."

"We have a country that needs help, and it needs help very badly," Trump said in his speech.

Trump was elected by a nation deeply divided over issues like immigration and abortion, and one still grappling with the most significant surge of inflation in four decades.

Many media outlets believe the new president will need to take a bold mission to heal the wounds and bridge the growing distrust between Democrats and Republicans, which has become so extreme that people increasingly choose where to live based on their political affiliation.

The economy remains the top concern of most Americans. Many voters expressed their frustration over rising living costs, taxes, housing, and shrinking income, saying that they expect a strong leadership to take the country out of the economic downturn.

Trump has pledged bold action to strengthen the economy, including cutting federal spending, slapping tariffs on imports and reducing taxes.

However, economists warn that Trump's plans to renew expiring tax cuts and introduce new breaks, along with his proposed tariffs, risk fueling inflation and could drive up the national debt.

Reproductive rights and immigration are also major issues challenging Trump's new administration. According to exit polls of key states, the widening gender gap took center stage in the US presidential election as most women voted for Harris.

On immigration, Trump's proposals for large-scale deportation of immigrants have reignited debates on legality, ethics, and the potential societal impacts of an expansive crackdown. Critics argue that his strategies could pose fundamental challenges to civil rights and humanitarian obligations.

On the global stage, the new administration will have to navigate challenges such as Ukraine and the Middle East.

Trump's return brings unpredictability to the international community, according to US media.

"His (Trump's) first presidential term -- defined by trade wars, isolationism, and a deep skepticism towards the EU and NATO -- may seem to offer a preview of what might come in the second," said a report of Time Magazine.