Meet the people who helped Trump become President

Meet the campaigners, friends, and foes who helped Trump get elected

The world has woken up to the announcement that a former host of a reality TV show has become the 45th President elect of the United States of America. The pollsters got it wrong, again, and as was the case with Brexit they have been spectacularly off the pace. So, if you are a soon-to-be unemployed political analyst, or just scratching your head asking how Trump pulled off the biggest electoral upset in living memory, here is a list of the people who gave the Donald the keys to the White House.

AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite

As close as you will ever get to a rock and roll star in the world of conservative American politics, Rudy was the mayor of New York for and presided over the city during 9/11. For his leadership in the aftermath of the biggest terrorist attack on the US, Giuliani was even given an honorary knighthood by the Queen. Throughout the campaign, Giuliani has been an essential link and mediating force between the Republican party and their candidate. It now looks likely that he will become the next attorney general in the Trump administration.

OLI SCARFF/AFP/Getty Images

When Farage shared a platform with Trump on the campaign trail, talk of an “American Brexit” became inextricably linked to the cult of Donald Trump. Trump took the unusual step of campaigning outside of US soil, when he visited Scotland during the EU referendum and pronounced in a tweet that he was Mr Brexit. Post-Brexit Farage then repaid the favour by appearing on stage with Trump attempting to tap into the silent majority of voters that had voted for the UK to leave the EU. The message was a resounding hit, with news outlets on the morning of the election result widely referring to Trump’s victory as “America’s Brexit”. Now our very own Mr Brexit has since then said that he would accept a job from Donald Trump were he to be elected as president.,

Trump’s campaign manager Conway is a pollster and analyst with a background specialising in women and younger voters. She was promoted to fill Corey Lewandowski shoes after he was fired, reportedly following an altercation with Trump’s daughter Ivanka. She became Trump’s third campaign manager in June with the President elect referring to her as “an expert on female consumers and voters”. She has been credited with closing a 10% gap in the polls by making Trump a more effective debater, and she apparently created the slogan: “a nation of strivers, dreamers, and believers.”

Paul Manafort, Trump’s former campaign chair resigned two days after Bannon was hired. As the CEO of Breitbart News, the hiring of Steve Bannon was widely regarded as a controversial move. The New York Times even went so far as to say that the move “formally completed a merger between the most strident elements of the conservative news media and Mr. Trump’s campaign, which was incubated and fostered in their boisterous coverage of his rise.” Bannon’s effectiveness communicating with grassroots campaigners and dissatisfied voters ultimately gave Trump the win.

AP Photo

They said it was hers to lose and that’s exactly what she did. Hillary outspent Donald, she had the political establishment on her side, and was regularly endorsed by some of the biggest celebrities of our time including: Beyoncé and Jay Z, Meryl Streep, Lady Gaga, President Obama, George Clooney, Katy Perry, Miley Cyrus, and Snoop Dogg. Clinton was ahead in the polls but had to concede defeat after losing key battlegrounds in North Carolina, Florida, Ohio, and last but most importantly, Pennsylvania.

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