Donald Trump speech highlights: Former US president Trump addresses supporters after trouncing Kamala Harris

Donald Trump addressed his supporters after scripting a grand comeback to the White House by defeating his Democratic rival Kamala Harris in a closely-contested presidential elections.  Though the final tally is yet to emerge, media outlets have called the elections for Donald Trump with wins in key battleground states such as North Carolina, Georgia and Pennsylvania. The Republicans have also wrested back control of the US Senate from Democrats.

US election results 2024: Live updates

In a rousing speech at his watch party in Florida, Trump claimed victory in the US elections and thanked his wife Melania, running mate JD Vance, and the people of America for re-electing him to power for a second term. Here are the highlights of Donald Trump's speech:

* Winning the popular vote was very nice. There is a great feeling of love in this very large room.

* We will be keeping control of the House of Representatives.

* I want to thank my beautiful wife Melania, the first lady. She also has the No.1 best selling book in the country.

* We’re going to seal up our borders, we want people to come in, but they have to come in legally.

* We have a new star, Elon [Musk]. A star is born. He is a special guy, he is a genius ... We have to protect our geniuses.

* I want to thank millions of Americans for showing up in record numbers and delivering a victory. We will pay you back and do our best job. We will turn it around, in every way. This will be remembered as the day the American people regained control of the country.

* Robert F. Kennedy Jr.is going to make America healthy again. He wants to do some things.

* China does not have what we have. We have the greatest people and that's the most important thing.

* Asian Americans, Muslim Americans, Arab Americans ... everybody came out in our support. It was a historic re-alignment. The Republican Party is the party of common sense!

* We had no wars in four years [during his earlier term], although we defeated ISIS.

* This is going to be the golden age of America, which will allow us to make America great again!

* God spared my life for a reason. And that reason was to save our country and restore America to greatness. We will fulfil that mission together.

* It is time to put the division of the past four years behind us. Success will bring us together

* We have to put America first for a period of time at least. We have to make America great again. I won't let you down. Our future will be safer and stronger than ever before.

Trump, 78, will become the oldest president ever elected. He would also be the first defeated president in 132 years to win another term in the White House, and the first person convicted of a felony to take over the Oval Office. He survived one assassination attempt by millimeters at a July rally. Secret Service agents foiled a second attempt in September.