Former President Donald Trump has a slim lead over Vice President Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential race, with key battleground states too close to call.

US media predicted that Trump won victories in 25 states, including Texas, Florida and Ohio, as well as several other Republican-leaning states.

Harris won victories in 17 states, including the large states of California, New York and Washington.

So far, Trump has won 248 electoral votes and Harris has won 214.

All results are unofficial until local election officials across the country verify the result in the coming days.

In none of the US states will official election results from states and counties be announced on election night.

The results released by counties and states after polls close on Election Day are preliminary results.

A candidate also needs 270 electoral votes to secure the presidency.

The 2024 US presidential election campaign was particularly volatile. Amid concerns about possible unrest, election harassment or violence against poll workers, security has been increased to unprecedented levels.

The states of Oregon, Washington and Nevada have activated the National Guard, with the Pentagon saying at least 17 states have placed a total of 600 National Guard troops on standby if needed.

According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, as of 2020, nineteen states have enacted laws to improve election security.

In Washington, tall metal fences were erected around the vice president's residence and the White House and some storefronts were boarded up.

The emergency measures follow the 2020 election chaos, particularly after Trump supporters stormed the US Capitol on January 6, 2021 to prevent the certification of election results confirming Joe Biden as the winner.

In the complex American political system, the overall outcome is decided not by the nationwide popular vote but by the Electoral College, in which each state's number of voters is roughly weighted by the size of its population.

Each candidate needs 270 Electoral College votes to clinch victory, and the battleground consists of those states where polls suggest a state could go either way.

Based on the previous election, it could take several days for the overall results to be announced.

In 2020, it took Pennsylvania four days to nominate Joe Biden after a razor-sharp result that secured him a spot in the Oval Office.

As a result, swing states like Michigan and Pennsylvania could prove crucial for both candidates.

The US election is taking place against the backdrop of major differences between the two candidates regarding the design of their foreign policy.

Harris has been criticized for her foreign policy experience. A draft of the Democratic Party's 2024 platform also failed to provide answers about how it would handle a range of issues.

While Trump is a staunch supporter of Israel, few expect a Harris administration to turn away from Israel.

When it comes to U.S.-Iran relations, both Harris and Trump have expressed tough views on the Islamic Republic, with Harris calling it the U.S.'s “biggest adversary.”

In Europe, the prospect of a second Trump term has proven deeply troubling for some, as the Republican has repeatedly threatened to leave NATO.