In the wee hours of Wednesday morning, Donald Trump took the stage at his election headquarters in West Palm Beach, Fla. While the race had yet to be officially called, Trump was only four electoral votes shy of the 270 needed to win the Electoral College.
In the early victory speech, Trump said his campaign had "made history" by overcoming "obstacles that nobody thought possible."
"This was a movement like nobody's ever seen before, and frankly, this was, I believe, the greatest political movement of all time," Trump told a crowd of supporters. "There's never been anything like this in this country, and now it's going to reach a new level of importance because we're going to help our country heal."
The U.S. is a country that needs "help," and its borders need to be "fixed," Trump added. He was accompanied on stage by his family, running mate Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, and additional supporters.
Trump declared that his next presidential term would "truly be the golden age of America." Also, he noted that Republicans had taken back the Senate, claiming the MAGA movement had helped win key state races.
In his speech, Trump thanked other notable supporters such as Elon Musk — dubbed "a new star" — and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. The latter, he said, would help "make America healthy again." UFC CEO Dana White, who appeared on stage, said Trump's victory was "karma" for the past few years.
"This is what happens when the machine comes after you," White told the crowd. "He keeps going forward. He doesn't quit. He's the most resilient, hard-working man I've ever met in my life."
Trump closed his speech by asserting that his impending reelection was a "massive victory for democracy and for freedom."
"I will govern by a simple motto: Promises made, promises kept," he said.
"It's time to put the divisions of the past four years behind us."