WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Former President Donald Trump declared victory early Wednesday — NBC News has not predicted a winner — after taking a series of swing states, including Pennsylvania.
“I want to thank the American people for the extraordinary honor of being elected your 47th and 45th president,” Trump told supporters at a victory party at the Palm Beach County Convention Center.
“This was a movement unlike anything anyone has ever seen before,” he added. “Honestly, I believe this was the greatest political movement of all time.”
“Now it’s 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.”
He was joined on stage by his family, key staffers and his running mate, Ohio Senator J.D. Vance.
“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 full of supporters who cheered in the final hours of the evening as crucial swing states were called for Trump, the first of which were Georgia and North Carolina.
When Fox News called on Pennsylvania to call out Trump just before 1:30 a.m., it sparked a huge outburst of supporters at the convention center, where the campaign was meeting for its main election night event. His supporters and staff hugged and high-fived each other over the important victory.
A short time later, NBC News also declared Pennsylvania for Trump, leaving him just four electoral votes shy of the 270 needed for victory.
Trump also led in the popular vote by nearly 5 million votes as of 2:30 a.m. ET, a lead that, if it holds, would make him the first Republican candidate to win the popular vote since George W. Bush in 2004.
“Winning the popular vote was a lot of fun,” Trump said as the crowd began chanting “USA.” “Very nice.”
Trump said that over the past four years, the country has lost that little thing called “special.”
“We’re going to make this the best it’s ever been,” he said.
Trump spent little time discussing policy, but he did touch on one of the key issues of his campaign: illegal immigration.
“We’re going to have to close those borders,” Trump said. “We need to let them come back in, but they have to come back in legally.”
This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
