The biggest story of 2016: Donald Trump's election victory
In a year that has been a roller coaster of ups and downs, one story has dominated them all -- Donald Trump's incredible election win.
The billionaire businessman defied the odds and best predictions of all the political prognosticators as he bested 15 opponents during the Republican primary. Trump then defeated former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in the most stunning election upset in modern history to become the next president of the United States.
Related: Newspapers around the world react to Trump's win
Since tossing his hat into the 2016 ring, experts and analysts continually discounted Trump. The nontraditional candidate rallied average Americans against the establishment, feeding off the polarized country. His unorthodox campaign, as well as promising to build a wall on the Mexican border to keep illegal immigrants out and a proposed ban on all Muslims, stuck a cord with white, working class men and women.
Trump faced push back, not only from Democrats, but from within his own party. Many Republicans, including Mitt Romney and Senator John McCain, were outspoken in their decisions to withdraw support of the GOP nominee. Some withdrew support after one of Trump's multiple headline-making flubs. Trump faced intense scrutiny over his charity and Trump University, as well as multiple women accused him of sexual assault.
The president-elect criticized the family of a fallen U.S. soldier, and just weeks before the Nov. 8 election, an old video of the New York mogul surfaced in which he describes sexually assaulting a woman.
With the odds stacked against him, Donald Trump prevailed. The 70-year-old reality TV star is the oldest person to ever be elected for their first term. Trump's term as the 45th president of the United States will officially start after his January 20 inauguration.
It's safe to say he'll likely play a major role in whatever the biggest story of 2017 turns out to be.
