Republican presidential candidate and former President Donald Trump has declared victory in the U.S. presidential election on November 5.

In a speech given at 2:30 a.m. Eastern Time on November 6, at a convention center in Palm Beach, Florida, Trump expressed gratitude to the American people, saying, “I’m honored to be elected as your 45th and now your 47th president.”

“We will help heal this country,” he added, vowing to “fix our borders and everything about our country.”

Continuing his speech, Trump said, “Tonight we made history for a reason. I will fight for you, your families, and your future.”

Trump declared, “This is a monumental victory for the American people and one that will allow us to make America great again.”

He further promised, “I will not rest until we build a strong, safe, and prosperous America that you and our children deserve. A true golden age is coming for America.” Trump noted that, alongside this victory, the Republican Party has regained a Senate majority and appears to have maintained control of the House. “America has given us unprecedented, powerful authority,” he said, referring to the control of both the executive and legislative branches.

He stated, “I will govern by a simple motto: 'Promises made, promises kept.' We will make America safe, strong, prosperous, and free again, and nothing will stop me from keeping my promises to the American people.”

“It is time to put the divisions of the last four years behind us and unite,” he urged, “Success will bring us together, and we’ll begin by putting America first. At least for now, we need to prioritize our country.”

Trump also called for “a strong military that ideally won’t need to be used,” and added, “They said I would start wars, but I won’t start wars—I’ll end them.”

He thanked his campaign team, including co-chairs Susie Wiles and Chris LaCivita, for their support.

He specifically mentioned Tesla CEO Elon Musk, saying, “We have a new star among us, a star named Elon. He’s an incredible person.”

Trump also acknowledged independent candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who threw his support behind Trump, saying, “He will help make America healthy again.”

As of 2:40 a.m., according to AP News, Trump had secured 267 of the 270 Electoral College votes needed to win, just three votes shy of victory.

Trump’s victory announcement comes after he secured major swing states, including Pennsylvania, along with Georgia and North Carolina. This result gave Trump confidence in an effective victory.

Trump projected he would secure at least 315 electoral votes once all states finish counting.

On stage with him were his wife Melania, his family, vice-presidential candidate Senator J.D. Vance and his wife, and his campaign staff, who joined him in greeting his supporters.

(Source: Yonhap News)