• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

Microsoft AI chief gives it 18 months—for all white-collar work to be automated by AI

2

Former top Russian official admits the country is over Putin and can 'imagine a future without him' — even elites bail as Kremlin seizes their assets 

3

Meet the 20-year-old CEO who launched a company in high school to solve Gen Z's entry-level job crisis

1

Microsoft AI chief gives it 18 months—for all white-collar work to be automated by AI

2

Former top Russian official admits the country is over Putin and can 'imagine a future without him' — even elites bail as Kremlin seizes their assets 

3

Meet the 20-year-old CEO who launched a company in high school to solve Gen Z's entry-level job crisis
Leadership

America Grapples With How to Move Forward in the Donald Trump Era

By
Katie Reilly
Katie Reilly
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Katie Reilly
Katie Reilly
Down Arrow Button Icon
November 9, 2016, 5:15 PM ET
Democratic Presidential Nominee Hillary Clinton Holds Election Night Event In New York City
Marta Lunez prays on her knees as election results come in at former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's election night event at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center on Nov. 9, 2016 in New York City. Win McNamee/Getty Images

Donald Trump, who dealt a stunning political blow to Hillary Clinton and the established order when he was elected the 45th President of the United States on Tuesday, now faces the challenge of governing a divided American electorate after a notoriously bitter campaign.

On election night, Clinton supporters voiced fear and frustration, overwhelmed and bewildered by their candidate’s unexpected loss. Some said they would avoid listening to news the next day; others predicted it would feel like waking up in an unfamiliar country. But on Wednesday, top Democratic and Republican leaders delivered a common message. They compared an unprecedented presidential election to those that came before and called on Americans across the political spectrum to unite in its wake.

“Now, as we do every four years, we have to work to heal the divisions of a long campaign,” Republican House Speaker Paul Ryan said. “This needs to be a time of redemption, not a time of recrimination. We all need to rededicate ourselves to making America great and making it a more perfect union.”

“Everybody is sad when their side loses an election, but the day after we have to remember that we’re actually all on one team,” President Barack Obama said. “This is an intramural scrimmage. We’re not Democrats first. We’re not Republicans first. We are Americans first. We’re patriots first.”

Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, a liberal leader who was one of Trump’s most outspoken critics during the campaign, offered to “put aside our differences” and work with him to improve the economy. Trump, in his victory speech, praised Clinton for a hard-fought campaign and asked Americans to “bind the wounds of division”—wounds he had so often opened himself.

Those wounds appeared most painful for Clinton supporters gathered at what was supposed to be her victory party in New York City. Before the results came in, they voiced concern about what a Trump victory would mean.

“I fear it’ll just exacerbate and cause more separation between Americans and the world,” said Wendy Siskin, 41. “I don’t think we’ll be in a safe place. I don’t think we’ll be in a loving place.”

Syed Zaidi, 51, said early in the night that he disagreed with Trump’s approach to immigration and viewed his prospective presidency as “very scary.” Holding a sign that read, “Great leaders unite, they do not divide,” atop Clinton’s “Stronger Together” slogan, Zaidi said he hoped both parties would come together no matter who won the election.

“It’s too much hatred, too much hatred in the country,” he said. “The whole world is looking at us as a democratic country in the world, you know? People come from all over the world for the freedom of democracy here.”

A New York Times/CBS News poll published last week found that a majority of voters thought neither candidate was likely to unify the country after the race. Scattered protests throughout the country on Wednesday—including in Oakland, Calif., Portland, Ore., and Austin, Texas—underscored the enduring divisions.

In previous presidential elections, concession speeches have been key to minimizing hostility, said Scott Farris, author of Almost President: The Men Who Lost the Race but Changed the Nation.

“Most candidates in the past have understood that this is a precarious time, during which what they say carries great weight and great meaning,” Farris said. “Every word needs to be pretty measured.”

In her concession speech on Wednesday, Hillary Clinton offered to work with Trump “on behalf of our country.”

“We must accept this result and then look to the future,” she said. “Donald Trump is going to be our president. We owe him an open mind and the chance to lead.”

That message resonated with 33-year-old Clinton supporter Nicole Toon, of Brooklyn, the New York City borough where Clinton headquartered her campaign. Toon had watched the election returns from Clinton’s rally in Manhattan, seated on the perimeter of the outdoor block party with her four-year-old daughter, Dakota Rose, asleep on her lap. “I wanted her to experience this,” Toon said around 10 p.m. on Tuesday night. “We both agree that Hillary is the perfect choice.”

By the time Dakota Rose woke up the next morning, her mother’s mood had changed.

“Honestly, I’m distraught. It’s like you lost a family member—like that kind of grieving feeling,” Toon said. “I still can’t believe it. I’m looking at the news, like is this what I’m seeing? President-elect Trump?”

On Wednesday, she brought her daughter—who carried an American flag, a memento from Clinton’s rally—to school. She cried while she watched Clinton’s concession speech and then she internalized her candidate’s message.

“Like Hillary Clinton said, we have to accept it and move on,” Toon said. “We all could be devastated. I’m devastated, but we have to accept it to move on and show it’s not all about one person.”

About the Author
By Katie Reilly
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Leadership

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Leadership

AI poised to tilt job market leverage toward older workers
AIHiring
AI poised to tilt job market leverage toward older workers
By Victor Swezey and BloombergMay 16, 2026
8 hours ago
tarot
AICulture
We talked to 12 tarot card readers who are using AI. They split in 2 camps, with big implications for the technology
By Ziv Epstein, Farnaz Jahanbakhsh, Vana Goblot and The ConversationMay 16, 2026
16 hours ago
mustafa suleyman
AIMicrosoft
Microsoft AI chief gives it 18 months—for all white-collar work to be automated by AI
By Jake AngeloMay 16, 2026
19 hours ago
Kevin O'Leary wears a suit and gestures
Future of Workwork-life balance
‘You’re not a hero, you’re a liability’: Shark Tank’s Kevin O’Leary warns Gen Z founders to stop glorifying hustle culture
By Jacqueline MunisMay 16, 2026
19 hours ago
tom
SuccessEntrepreneurs
Top Chef’s Tom Colicchio got a 15x return on a tech company most Americans have never heard of. He thinks his own industry is broken
By Nick LichtenbergMay 16, 2026
20 hours ago
bhaskar
Economydisruption
The prophet of the ‘Wired Belt’ says capitalism is finally eating itself
By Bhaskar ChakravortiMay 16, 2026
21 hours ago

Most Popular

Microsoft AI chief gives it 18 months—for all white-collar work to be automated by AI
AI
Microsoft AI chief gives it 18 months—for all white-collar work to be automated by AI
By Jake AngeloMay 16, 2026
19 hours ago
Former top Russian official admits the country is over Putin and can 'imagine a future without him' — even elites bail as Kremlin seizes their assets 
Politics
Former top Russian official admits the country is over Putin and can 'imagine a future without him' — even elites bail as Kremlin seizes their assets 
By Jason MaMay 16, 2026
9 hours ago
Meet the 20-year-old CEO who launched a company in high school to solve Gen Z's entry-level job crisis
Future of Work
Meet the 20-year-old CEO who launched a company in high school to solve Gen Z's entry-level job crisis
By Jake AngeloMay 16, 2026
22 hours ago
The Bezos family just donated $100 million to help achieve one of Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s top campaign promises
Politics
The Bezos family just donated $100 million to help achieve one of Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s top campaign promises
By Jake AngeloMay 12, 2026
4 days ago
‘You’re not a hero, you’re a liability’: Shark Tank’s Kevin O’Leary warns Gen Z founders to stop glorifying hustle culture
Future of Work
‘You’re not a hero, you’re a liability’: Shark Tank’s Kevin O’Leary warns Gen Z founders to stop glorifying hustle culture
By Jacqueline MunisMay 16, 2026
19 hours ago
Despite having a $165 million net worth, Scarlett Johansson says work-life balance doesn’t exist—and the first step to success is admitting that
Success
Despite having a $165 million net worth, Scarlett Johansson says work-life balance doesn’t exist—and the first step to success is admitting that
By Preston ForeMay 13, 2026
4 days ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.