Donald Trump Calls for Unity In Presidential Victory Speech
President-elect Donald Trump delivered a message of unity to a crowd of joyous supporters, some still stunned at his upset victory over Hillary Clinton.
“I say it is time for us to come together as one united people. I pledge to every citizen of our land that I will be president to all Americans, and this is so important to me.”
He said that he is reaching out to those who did not for him for their “guidance.”
“Ours was not a campaign, it was a movement,” he said.
“The forgotten men and women of our country will be forgotten no longer,” he said, as he pledged to rebuild the country’s infrastructure and to put “millions of people to work as we rebuild it.”
Trump also was gracious when talking about his opponent, who called him to concede shortly before he took the stage.
“I have just received a call from Secretary Clinton, she congratulated us on our victory, and I congratulated her and her family on a very hard fought campaign. Hillary has worked very long and very hard for a long time, and we own her a debt of gratitude.”
His supporters clapped — a contrast to the chants of “Lock Her Up!” that they engaged in just moments before.
“America will no longer settle for anything less than the best,” he said.
“We will seek common ground, not hostility. Partnership, not conflict,” he said.
The crowd chanted “USA! USA! USA!” when he first took the stage, and was introduced by the Vice President-elect, Mike Pence.
“The American people have spoken, and the American people have elected their new champion,” he said.
Trump told the crowd that “this political stuff is nasty and it’s tough.” He was referring to the last few hours, as he awaited returns, as the campaign itself. He is the first person elected to the presidency with no government or military experience — a testament to his run as an outsider.
“It has been an historic event, but to really historic, we have to do a great job,” he said. “While this campaign is over, our work on this movement is just beginning.”
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