Former President Donald Trump declared victory early Wednesday — NBC News has not projected a winner — after he took a series of swing states, including Pennsylvania.
“I want to thank the American people for the extraordinary honor of being elected your 47th president and your 45th president,” Trump told supporters at a victory party at the Palm Beach County Convention Center.
“This was a movement like no one has ever seen before,” he added. “Frankly, I believe this was the greatest political movement of all time.”
“Now it is going to reach a new level of importance,” Trump said of his return to the White House. “Because we are going to help our country heal.”
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He was joined onstage by his family, key staffers and his running mate, Sen. JD Vance of Ohio.
“Well, Mr. President, I appreciate you allowing me to join you on this incredible journey,” Vance said in brief remarks. “I think we just witnessed the greatest political comeback in the history of the United States of America.”
Trump addressed a ballroom packed with supporters who spent the final hours of the evening cheering as pivotal swing states were called for Trump, the first of which were Georgia and North Carolina.
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When Fox News called Pennsylvania for Trump a little before 1:30 a.m., it led to a huge eruption from supporters at the convention center, where the campaign gathered for its main election night event. His supporters and staffers were hugging and high-fiving one another over the important win.
A short time later, NBC News also called Pennsylvania for Trump, leaving him just four electoral votes away from the 270 needed for victory.
Trump was also leading in the popular vote by nearly 5 million votes at 2:30 a.m. ET, a lead that, if it holds, will make him the first Republican nominee to win the popular vote since George W. Bush in 2004.
“Winning the popular vote was very nice,” Trump said as the crowd started to chant “USA.” “Very nice.”
Trump said the country lost that little thing called “special” over the past four years.
“We are going to make it the best it has ever been,” he said.
Trump spent little time discussing policy, but he touched on one of the centerpieces of his campaign: illegal immigration.
“We are going to have to seal up those borders,” Trump said. “We have to let them come back in, but they have to come back in legally.”
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