WaPo editor on how the 2024 election will be remembered

Mary Jordan, subordinate editor astatine nan Washington Post, sat down pinch ABC News to talk Donald Trump's historical triumph and what Melania Trump's 2nd word arsenic first woman mightiness look like.

Jordan, nan writer of "The Art of Her Deal: The Untold Story of Melania Trump," describes Donald Trump arsenic nan comeback king who, contempt his violative connection and criminal convictions, keeps moving guardant and continues to execute greater victories.

Trump defeated Vice President Kamala Harris successful a historical statesmanlike predetermination Tuesday.

How history will retrieve nan 2024 statesmanlike election

ABCNews.com

ABC NEWS: Joining america now is Mary Jordan, subordinate editor astatine nan Washington Post and writer of "The Art of Her Deal: The Untold Story of Melania Trump." Mary, convey you truthful overmuch for joining us. We will get to Melania Trump successful a moment, but first conscionable put it into perspective, this very circumstantial infinitesimal we find ourselves in. How will history retrieve this unthinkable 2024 election?

MARY JORDAN: Like nary other. Between nan different quality that Kamala Harris didn't moreover cognize she was moving until July, that we had a president who walked connected shape and shocked people.

They thought, Oh my God, Joe Biden, thing happened to him. He can't run. And we, of course, had Donald Trump, nan comeback king, who, contempt violative language, criminal convictions, conscionable keeps connected going and only getting a bigger victory.

You know, I deliberation it's safe to say, judging from what everyone said today, either they were nauseous and upset aliases euphoric. No one's going to hide this one.

ABC NEWS: And President-elect Trump, arsenic you mentioned, immoderate of these things now, conscionable nan 2nd president to triumph nonconsecutive position successful office, increasing his conjugation of voters from conscionable 4 years agone comes into his 2nd word arsenic nan only commandant successful main convicted of a crime and is an incredibly polarizing figure. Historically, person divisive leaders for illustration Trump been capable to merge nan statement aliases only thrust america further apart?

JORDAN: You know, if he really tin move astir after, you know, each of nan violative words. I mean, he called Kamala Harris debased IQ and he, you know, he has said he's going to do each kinds of things. But, you know, Donald Trump ever surprises. So let's spot what he does.

I mean, now possibly he has his oculus connected history. He has specified a agelong database of things that he said he was going to do connected Day One. Right. He's going to seal nan border, prosecute much separator agents, occurrence national employees, trim nan authorities down. I mean, it goes connected and connected and on. Tariffs, little taxes.

You know, he's going to beryllium beautiful busy. But it's really nan emotion successful Washington now is that nan moving vans are coming. You know, there's a large alteration afoot. That's what you consciousness like.

ABC NEWS: And this will beryllium Melania Trump's 2nd word arsenic first lady. But she remains alternatively a enigma to most, opinionated backmost from overmuch of nan spotlight. What do you deliberation that her domiciled will beryllium pinch this adjacent term?

JORDAN: You know, I deliberation she is really underestimated. People thought, oh, she hates politics. She doesn't really for illustration to beryllium there. But erstwhile I interviewed complete 100 group and spent a mates of years going to her autochthonal Slovenia and everyplace she worked successful Europe, I came distant pinch a female who is simply a loner for sure. She doesn't request group astir her, but she's determined, ambitious. She wants her spot successful history.

She encouraged her hubby to spell into politics. And this clip around, dissimilar nan first time, now she has acquisition and a spot much confidence. In 2016, she was shocked that they won. She thought Hillary Clinton was going to win. And she benignant of came successful late, feuding pinch her daughter-in-law, Ivanka. I deliberation this clip you're going to spot a much assertive and a much assured Melania Trump.

ABC NEWS: Do you deliberation she was amazed this time?

JORDAN: No, not astatine all. Her, her son, who she's adjacent to, enormously adjacent to, Barron Trump had been really rather progressive successful a measurement successful nan run during his dada telling him which podcast younger group are listening to, what's nan cool point to spell on?

And Donald Trump really listened to him and did do that and has really credited Barron. So Melania and Barron, you know, are much beforehand and halfway this time. And I deliberation that, you know, going done each nan disapproval that they had, it's benignant of a bunker Trump mentality wherever we won and we merit this. And they're much of a team. Even if she's going to still sneak distant and beryllium invisible sometimes.

ABC NEWS: Mary Jordan, our acknowledgment to you. Really admit your clip tonight.

JORDAN: Thank you.