Trump secures win for presidency; Clinton concedes

By ALAN SMASON

In an unprecedented and unexpected voter backlash on Election Day, Donald Trump secured his place as the 45th President of the United States winning a stunning victory in the Electoral College with a 278 to 216 edge over Democratic Party candidate Hillary Clinton. Clinton, who may have won the popular vote, called him to concede the election shortly before he left his hotel to speak to a determined crowd of supporters at his election headquarters in New York.

President-elect Trump kisses his daughter Ivanka, who converted to Judaism eight years ago prior to her marriage to Jared Kushner. (NBC image photo by Alan Smason)

“Sorry to keep you waiting. Complicated business. Complicated,” the President-Elect said as he spoke at 1:50 a.m. Central Time.

“I just received a call from Secretary Clinton. She congratulated us,” he continued as the crowd reacted wildly. “It’s about us – on my victory –  and I congratulated her and her family on a a very very hard fought campaign. She fought very hard.”

Trump went on to put his political rival in a far different light than he has in recent weeks from the start, never once referring to her as “Crooked Hillary.”

“Hillary has worked very long and very hard over a very long period of time and we owe her a very major debt for her service to our country,” he proclaimed. Trump went on to say it was time “to bind the wounds of division” in the country.

“It is time for us to come together as one united people. It’s time,” he stated. “I will be President for all Americans and this so important to me.”

Trump went on to reach out to all Americans, claiming to be the leader of a “great movement made up of millions…(who) want a better and brighter future for themselves and their families.” He added that he will serve the people, improve the infrastructure of the nation and better remember veterans who have served the nation.

“It’s going to be a beautiful thing,” Trump promised his supporters.

Earlier, with his family around him, Vice President-elect Mike Pence had introduced Trump. “America has elected a new President and it’s almost hard for me to express the honor that I feel to serve as your Vice President of the United States. I come to this moment deeply humbled and grateful,” he said.