Donald Trump won the US presidential election this morning in a stunning victory that sent shockwaves around the world.
The Republican secured more than 270 electoral votes, the number needed to win the presidential race.
He took the key swing states of Florida, North Carolina and Ohio early this morning, as he marched towards the White House.
He pledged that he would be “president for all Americans” in his New York victory speech.
Trump said he was “reaching out” to the people who had not supported him to “unify the country”.
“Now it’s time to bind the wounds of division. I say to Democrats and Republicans it is time come together as one united people,” he said.
“I pledge to be president for all Americans,” he said, adding: “The forgotten men and women of our country will be forgotten no longer.”
He said it was not a campaign but a movement that had won him the White House, comprised of “all people of different backgrounds and beliefs”.
He said victory had been “tough”. “This political stuff is nasty and it’s tough,” he said, while thanking his family.
It was an extraordinary election night. Trump won some early east coast states and did not look back. When he secured the key swing state of Florida, a clear path to the presidency was laid out. He went on to win Ohio and South Carolina.
In an extraordinary development, Hillary Clinton did not initially concede the election – but then later called Trump to congratulate him on his victory.
Trump offered generous words for his vanquished opponent, saying she had worked hard for many years and was owed a “deep debt of gratitude”.
Source: Agencies
