The results of congressional elections, which have not yet been called, could impact his ability to implement his political agenda. But there are signs that he has steered the immigration debate, including among Democrats, in his direction, including Biden and Harris' support for tougher border security.

Trump declared during the campaign that he would quickly end the long-running wars in Ukraine and the Middle East. But he held back on the details. His critics fear that his admiration for the world's strongmen – above all Russia's Vladimir Putin – is a harbinger that he will pursue a more authoritarian course at home. For Ukraine, that could mean being forced into a bad deal to end the years-long Russian invasion.

Trump's opponents fear that his widespread authoritarian streak will lead him to follow through on threats to prosecute, harass and even deport his political opponents, including the officials who prosecuted him.

“If I win, the people who cheated will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law, including lengthy prison sentences,” Trump wrote on the social media platform Truth in September. “Please note that this legal exposure extends to lawyers, political activists, donors, illegal voters and corrupt election officials.”

The vow marked a new chapter in the ongoing saga of his refusal to accept that he was defeated in a free and fair election in 2020, when he lost to Biden. The highlight was his Jan. 6, 2021, rally on the Ellipse, an outdoor area at the base of the White House, where he urged his supporters to march to the Capitol, where lawmakers were expected to certify his loss.

A pro-Trump mob ransacked Congress, injured scores of police officers and threatened to hang Vice President Mike Pence, who had pledged to accept the results. The multifront campaign to overturn the election results led to Trump's second impeachment by the House of Representatives and federal criminal charges.

He never conceded the 2020 election, even though there was no evidence he won it. In a way, his supporters never conceded a goal either.