Donald Trump gave a victory speech early Wednesday, before the race was officially called, as projections suggest he is on course to secure a second term.
Taking the stage in West Palm Beach, Fla., at 2:30 a.m., the former president celebrated the success of what he described as “the greatest political movement of all time” and promised to deliver a prosperous future for the country.
“I want to thank the American people for the extraordinary honor of being elected as your 47th president,” he said. “I will fight for you and your family and your future, every day I will fight for you and with every breath in my body. I will not rest until we have delivered the strong, safe and prosperous America that our children deserve and as you deserve, this will truly be America’s golden age.”
Trump adopted a more cohesive tone in his speech than has been typical of his divisive rhetoric on the campaign trail. He pledged to help the country “heal” and touted his campaign’s success in building “the biggest, the broadest, the most united coalition,” made up of diverse demographics from across the nation.
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The Republican also celebrated his party’s “unprecedented and powerful mandate”, noting that Republicans had gained control over Senate and he claimed they were also on course to retain the House of Representatives.
Trump also said he won the popular vote, which he failed to achieve in the past two elections. This is yet to be confirmed, but he is on the right track.
Trump notably did not mention his Democratic opponent Kamala Harrisor president Joe Bidenin the speech.
He struck a similar tone in his 2016 victory speech, where he also celebrated the success of his “great movement” and promised to “bind the wounds of division”.
But on the other hand, in 2016 Trump opened his speech with a gratuitous tribute to his Democratic opponent Hillary Clintonwhich he said had already called him to concede.
“She fought very hard. Hillary has worked very long and very hard for a long time, and we owe her a great debt of gratitude for her service to our country,” Trump said at the time.
Trump highlighted different policy issues in both victory speeches, underscoring how his campaign priorities have changed over the past eight years.
In his 2016 speech, Trump promised to improve infrastructure, to take care of the nation’s veterans and to implement a “good economic plan.”
In his 2024 speech, Trump promised to “fix our borders,” referring several times to the hot-button issue of immigration, which has been a cornerstone of his re-election campaign. He also mentioned “cutting taxes” and promised that he “will stop war”, likely alluding to the ongoing conflicts in Gaza and Ukraine.
Near the end of his speech, Trump referenced the assassination attempt at a rally in July in which a bullet grazed his right ear, serving as a reminder of the dramatic and tumultuous nature of this election cycle.
“Many people have told me that God spared my life for a reason. And that reason was to save our country and restore America to greatness,” he said.
