An American political commentator launched a powerful denunciation of the 2016 US Election as it became clear that Donald Trump would be the next President of the United States.

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As Trump headed for victory, an emotional Van Jones articulated live on CNN the fear he felt over what the result would mean for the country.

"It's hard to be a parent tonight for a lot of us," he said. "You tell your kids, don't be a bully. You tell your kids, don't be a bigot. You tell your kids, do your homework and be prepared. And then you have this outcome.

"You have people putting children to bed tonight, and they're afraid of breakfast. They're afraid: 'How do I explain this to my children?'"

Addressing the fear provoked by Trump's talk of a "Muslim ban" and his attitude to race and immigration, Jones continued: "I have Muslim friends who are texting me tonight, saying: 'Should I leave the country?' I have families of immigrants that are terrified tonight.

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"This was many things, this was a rebellion against the elites - true. It was a complete reinvention of politics and polls - true. But it was also something else. This was a 'whitelash'.

"This was a whitelash against a changing country, it was a whitelash against a black president in part," he added. "And that's the part where the pain comes... this is a deeply painful moment tonight."

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Following his victory against Hillary Clinton in the 2016 US Election, Trump is now President-elect until his inauguration in January.

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