Donald Trump defeats Hillary Clinton to win presidential race

(VNF) - Republican Donald Trump has defeated his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton in the US election and will become the 45^th President of the United States.

Accompanied by his family, Mr. Trump has taken the stage in Manhattan to give his victory speech.

Mr. Donald Trump will become the 45^th President of the United States. (Photo: John Locher)

"I pledge to every citizen of our land that I will be president for every American. And that is very important to me," said Mr. Trump.

He said he was "reaching out" to the people who had not supported him to "unify the country".

"Hillary has worked very hard and very hard over a very long period of time and we owe her a major debt of gratitude for her service to this country," Mr. Trump offered generous words for his opponent.

"Now it is time for America to bind the wounds of pision."

He said the US will rebuild highway tunnels, bridges and schools. "We will put millions of people to work as we rebuild it," he said. "We will take care of our great veterans."

"I expect to have great, great relationships" with other countries, Mr. Trump said.

"No dream is too big; no challenge too big. 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."

"I will always keep America first." Mr. Trump added.

The shock result came after opinion polls over the weekend showed Mrs. Clinton went into polling day with the advantage over her Republican rival.

Both candidates had early victories but Mr. Trump picked up the key battleground states of Ohio, Florida and North Carolina.

From Pennsylvania to Wisconsin, industrial towns once full of union voters who for decades offered their votes to Democratic presidential candidates, even in the party’s lean years, shifted to Mr. Trump’s Republican Party. One county in the Mahoning Valley of Ohio, Trumbull, went to Mr. Trump by a six-point margin. Four years ago, Mr. Obama won there by 22 points.

In an extraordinary development, Mrs. Clinton did not initially concede the election - but then later called Mr. Trump to congratulate him on his victory.

Mrs. Clinton’s loss was especially crushing to millions who had cheered her march toward history as, they hoped, the nation’s first female president.

Uncertainty abounds as Mr. Trump prepares to take office. He has donated heavily to both parties and has long described his politics as the transactional reality of a businessman.

He is set to take the oath of office on January 20^th, 2017./.

( Compiled by VNF )