Trump Declares Victory, Though Race Isn't Called Yet

Donald Trump addressed an enthusiastic crowd of supporters at his election watch party in West Palm Beach, Florida, in the wee hours of Wednesday, shortly after Fox News and NewsNation called the race for him, projecting him to win a delayed second term as president. Shortly after his speech began, the AP called Pennsylvania for him, giving Kamala Harris a near-impossible path to victory. Trump said he was proud to be elected "your 47th president and your 45th president." He predicted he'd end up with more than 300 electoral votes as well as winning the popular vote, and predicted Republicans would maintain control of the House after having already retaken control of the Senate.

• "This is a movement like nobody's ever seen before," he said after taking the stage as "God Bless the USA" played and his family and supporters filed on behind him. "And frankly, this was, I believe, the greatest political movement of all time. There's never been anything like this in this country. ... And now it's going to reach a new level of importance, because we are going to help our country heal. ... We made history for a reason tonight. ... It is now clear that we've achieved the most incredible political thing, and look what happened! Is this crazy? But it's a political victory that our country has never seen before, nothing like this. ... This will truly be the golden age of America."
• He went on to thank numerous people, including JD Vance, who briefly spoke, declaring the election "the greatest political comeback in the history of the United States of America." UFC president Dana White also spoke briefly, thanking Joe Rogan and saying, "This is karma, ladies and gentlemen." Elon Musk did not speak, but Trump spoke about him at length, declaring, "We have a new star. A star is born. Elon!" Of Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Trump said that as long as he stays away from oil, he can do what he wants with regard to his stated goal of "making America healthy again." "Bobby, stay away from the liquid gold. Other than that, have a good time, Bobby."

Politico, which had been tracking the watch parties, reported that the crowd in Florida had long been in high spirits, and the AP reported on the celebratory feeling in the air, with attendees hugging and throwing MAGA hats in the air long before Trump took the stage. Meanwhile, Kamala Harris' watch party ended on a somber note after the vice president declined to address supporters. The Minneapolis Star-Tribune notes that many journalists expected election night to turn into "a multi-day saga," but in the end, it turned out to be "a relatively traditional election night experience." (More Election 2024 stories.)