TThe news came at 1:20 a.m. On a giant television screen, Fox News announced that Donald Trump had won the important state of Pennsylvania. The room erupted in roars of joy and screams. “It’s over!” a man shouted, turning to hug a stranger. “Fuck Joe Biden!” shouted a young brother in a black MAGA hat. “Shit her!”

The crowd erupted in shouts of “USA!” USA! USA!” – to her a positive affirmation. To the rest of the world it may have sounded like an ugly threat from a superpower tyrant she no longer understands.

This was the scene at Donald Trump’s election watch party, a spooky spectacle in West Palm Beach, Florida, on Tuesday night and in the early hours of Wednesday morning. The unthinkable had happened. After appearing defeated, Trump, a twice-indicted convicted criminal, appeared to have fought his way back into the White House.

“I think we just experienced the greatest political comeback in the history of the United States of America,” said Senator JD Vance, who will now become vice president.

That may well be true. But for at least some of Trump’s critics, it will go down in history as the moment America elected its first fascist president.

The people in the room scoffed at such a description. They welcome Trump’s tough stance on immigration and policies they believe will help the economy thrive. They believe Trump has been a victim of Democratic hoaxes and sabotage for years. Now it was time for revenge.

The party took place in a rather nondescript convention center. In a cavernous exhibition hall full of black and gray people, there is a huge “Trump will fix it!” A banner hung on one wall, and across the street hung a banner that read “Dream big again.” People chatted, drank, strolled around and helped themselves to a buffet of cheese, wine and other snacks.

Guests were blonder, more tanned and more bejeweled than average. There was a blonde woman with a gold necklace, a gold and diamond bracelet and a red leather dress; a 16-year-old African-American girl wearing a MAGA hat; a man in a checkered suit and a red MAGA cap; a young black man in a double-breasted gray suit and a MAGA cap; a woman in a long red dress with floral tattoos climbing up her right arm and a MAGA cap.

Three red, two white and three blue lights hung above a stage against a backdrop of a deep blue curtain and a giant stars and stripes. There were about 50 US flags hanging on poles. In front of them, a blue lectern boasted: “Trump will fix it.”

Two giant television screens alternated between election coverage from CNN and Fox News. When Kamala Harris won Colorado and Illinois, the crowd booed. But when Trump won the states, cheers broke out. The fog of uncertainty that had dominated this election was slowly lifting. A wave of confidence was palpable. Maga fans began to believe that their man would win.

At 12:46 a.m., an announcement from Washington was shown on television that Harris would not be making an address. Immediately, the Village People’s “YMCA” blared from the speakers as screens showed Trump clenching his fists at various rallies – an object of ridicule for his critics; here a sign of affection.

For those who attended Trump’s party in New York in 2016, there was a distinct sense of déjà vu. History repeats itself, first as tragedy, second as farce.

People gathered in front of the stage, forming a sea of ​​red hats. Prominent among them was Blake Marnell, a regular rally attendee wearing a suit designed in the style of Trump’s wall. For a few minutes he held up a phone that played the message: “Trump will win!” Meanwhile, a man was studying the New York Times on his cell phone, eager for updates.

Then came the Pennsylvania announcement and chaos ensued. Ethan Kirkegaard, 25, a property developer, said: “This is magical. We are making history here. I firmly believe that we are on the right side of history. We are so close to a victory. We just need a few more states to get through and I think we’ll get there.”

At 1:48 a.m. the television screens read: “Fox predicts Trump elected 47th president.” There were more shouts of joy. A group of young men wearing MAGA hats hugged each other. “Let’s fucking go!” someone shouted. More chants of “USA! USA! USA!” Tricia Weldon, 52, held a drink and said: “This is history. I’m so excited. I feel like it’s a surreal moment.”

At 2:24 a.m., the audience’s patience was rewarded when Trump – wearing his usual dark suit, white shirt and long red tie – took the stage. The crowd joined in with his regular theme song, “God Bless the USA,” and set up a forest of phones to snap photos and videos. “We love you, Trump!” shouted one.

Melania Trump stood near her husband and was accompanied by Barron, the former president’s youngest son, whose pale white face contrasted with his father’s orange complexion. Trump’s older children – Don Jr, Eric, Ivanka and Tiffany – also took the stage.

“I want to thank my beautiful wife Melania!” said Trump. She smiled and waved. He praised her new book and went to hug and kiss her. She continued to smile.

Trump delivered a relatively energetic speech for a man who, marred by criminal convictions and investigations, just had the ultimate chance to get out of prison: the American presidency.

“It’s time to put the divisions of the last four years behind us,” said the uniquely divisive Trump. “It is time to unite.” The architect of the January 6 uprising claimed again without irony: “This was also a tremendous victory for democracy and freedom.”

But the statements were also full of dark omens for the second Trump administration. He praised Elon Musk, the billionaire owner of X who has become one of his most prominent supporters. “We have a new star,” he said. “A star is born: Elon.”

Trump also praised vaccine conspiracy theorist Robert Kennedy Jr. and promised he would help “make America healthy again.” The crowd chanted “Bobby! Bobby!”

He left the stage to the familiar sounds of the YMCA. People danced and punched the air. Barron turned around briefly and waved goodbye.

It was a very different universe than the mood of millions of Americans who woke up Wednesday with ashen faces and aching stomachs, struggling to understand that Trump was not an aberration after all. His political resurrection is complete.

The world will also shake. It has long been known that the most powerful nation on earth has committed war crimes from Vietnam to Iraq. Many will now be of the opinion that this has also committed a crime against decency and democracy itself.