Donald Trump’s Victory Speech as America's President Elect (Transcript)
Election 2016

Donald Trump’s Victory Speech as America's President Elect (Transcript)

© Joshua Roberts / Reuters

Amid many interruptions of applause from the crowd at the New York Hilton, Donald Trump delivered a gracious acceptance speech last night after winning the election for president of the United States.

"Sorry to keep you waiting. Complicated business.

"I’ve just received a call from Secretary Clinton. She congratulated us, it’s about us, on our victory and I congratulated her and her family on a very, very hard-fought campaign. I mean, she fought very hard.

"Now it’s time for America to bind the wounds of division"

"Hillary has worked very long and very hard over a long period of time and we owe her a major debt of gratitude for her service to our country. I mean that very sincerely.

"Now it’s time for America to bind the wounds of division. We have to get together.

"To all Republicans and Democrats and Independents across this nation, I say it is time for us to come together as one united people. It’s time.

"I pledge to every citizen of our land that I will be President for all Americans and this is so important to me.

"For those who have chosen not to support me in the past, of which there were a few people, I’m reaching out to you for your guidance and your help so we can work together and unify our great country.

"As I’ve said from the beginning, ours was not a campaign but rather an incredible and great movement made up of millions of hard-working men and women who love their country and want better brighter future for themselves and for their family.

"It will be a movement comprised of people from all races, religions, backgrounds and beliefs who want and expect our government to serve the people - and serve the people it will.

"Working together we will begin the urgent task of rebuilding our nation and renewing the American dream.

"I have spent my entire life in business looking at the untapped potential in projects and in people all over the world.

"That is now what I want to do for our country. Tremendous potential. I’ve got to know our country so well. Tremendous potential. It’s gonna be a beautiful thing.

"Every single American will have the opportunity to realize his or her fullest potential. The forgotten men and women of our country will be forgotten no longer.

"Tremendous potential. It’s gonna be a beautiful thing," he said

"We are going to fix our inner cities and rebuild our highways, bridges, tunnels, airports, schools, hospitals. We’re gonna rebuild our infrastructure which will become, by the way, second to none and we will put millions of our people to work as we rebuild it.

"We will also finally take care of our great veterans who’ve been so loyal and I’ve got to know so many over this 18-month journey the time I’ve spent with them in this campaign has been among my greatest honors. Our veterans are incredible people.

"We will embark upon a project of national growth and renewal. I will harness the creative talents of our people and we will call upon the best and brightest to leverage their tremendous talent for the benefit of all. It’s gonna happen.

"We have a great economic plan. We will double our growth and have the strongest economy anywhere in the world.

"At the same time, we will get along with all other nations willing to get along with us.

"We will have great relationships. We expect to have great, great relationships.

"We will double our growth and have the strongest economy anywhere in the world"

"No dream is too big, no challenge is too great.

"Nothing we want for our future is beyond our reach. America will no longer settle for anything less than the best.

"We must reclaim our country’s destiny and dream big and bold and daring. We have to do that. We’re doing to dream of things for our country and beautiful things and successful things once again.

"I want to tell the world community that while we will always put America’s interests first we will deal fairly with everyone.

"All people and all other nations. We will seek common ground, not hostility, partnership, not conflict.

He thanked his parents in his victory speech in New York City

"First I want to thank my parents who I know are looking down on me right now. Great people. I’ve learned so much from them. They were wonderful in every regard. I had truly great parents. I also want to thank my sisters Maryanne and Elizabeth who are here with us tonight.

"And my brother Robert, my great friend. Where is Robert? They should all be on this stage but that’s OK. And also my late brother Fred, great guy, fantastic guy. Fantastic family. I was very lucky.

"To Melania and Don and Ivanka and Eric and Tiffany and Barron, I love you and I thank you and especially for putting up with all of those hours. This was tough. This was tough. This political stuff is nasty and it’s tough.

"... We have got tremendously talented people up here and I can tell you, it's been very special. I want to give a special thanks to our former mayor Rudy Giuliani who's unbelievable. Unbelievable. He traveled with us and he went through meetings and Rudy never changes. Where’s Rudy? Where is he?

Trump reeled off a long list of thanks

"Governor Chris Christie folks was unbelievable. Thank you, Chris.

"The first man, the first Senator, the first major, major politician and let me tell you, he’s as smart as you get -- Senator Jeff Sessions. Great man.

"Another great man, very tough competitor, he was not easy, he was not easy, who is that? Is that the mayor? Ah, Rudy got up here.

"Another great man who’s been a friend to me, I’ll tell you, I got to know him as a competitor because he was one of the folks who was negotiating to go against those democrats, Dr. Ben Carson. Where’s Ben? Where is Ben?

"And by the way, Mike Huckabee is here some place and he is fantastic. Mike and his family, Sarah, thank you so much.

"General Mike Flynn and General Keller, we have over 200 generals and admirals who’ve endorsed our campaign. They’re special people and it’s a great honor.

"We’ve got 22 congressional Medal of Honor recipients. We have just tremendous people.

"A very special person who believed me and I’d read reports I wasn’t getting along with him - I never had a bad second with him - he’s an unbelievable star. I said Reince (Priebus), I know it, look at all those people over there, is a superstar. But I said, “They can’t you a superstar, Reince, unless we win,” because you can’t be called a superstar—like Secretariat. If Secretariat came in second, Secretariat would not have that big bronze bust at the track at Belmont.

"He is the hardest working guy. Come up here. Where is Reince? Get over here Reince. It’s about time you did this Reince. Come on, say a few words!

"Our partnership with the RNC was so important to the success of what we’ve done.

"So I also have to say I’ve gotten to know some incredible people. The Secret Service people. They’re tough, they’re smart and they’re sharp and I don’t wanna mess around with them I can tell you and when I wanna go and wave to a big group of people and they rip me down in my seat. They are a fantastic group of people.

"And law enforcement in New York City, they’re here tonight. These are spectacular people, sometimes under-appreciated unfortunately, but we appreciate them, we know what they’ve been through.

"So it’s been what we call a historic event, but to be really historic, we have to do a great job. And I promise you I will not let you down. We will do a great job. WE will do a great job.

"I look very much forward to being your President and hopefully at the end of two years or three years or four years or maybe even EIGHT years, you will say that that was something you were really very proud to do.

"Thank you very much. I can only say that while the campaign is over our work on this movement is now really just beginning.

"We’re going to get to work immediately for the American people and we’re going to be doing a job that hopefully you will be so proud of your President. You will be so proud.

"It’s an honor. It’s been an amazing evening, it’s been an amazing period, and I love this country. Thank you. Thank you very much. Thank you to Mike Pence. Thank you, everybody."

TOP READS FROM THE FISCAL TIMES