Hillary Clinton accepts defeat in emotional concession speech after losing to Donald Trump
DEFEATED Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton has spoken for the first time since her crushing loss to Donald Trump in the race for the White House.
In an emotional speech where she nearly broke down in tears, Clinton said her team's defeat was "painful" and will be "painful for a long time".
Clinton came out smiling as she walked onto the stage at the New Yorker hotel in New York, and told supporters: “Last night I congratulated Donald Trump and offered to work with him on behalf of our country.
"I hope that he will be a President for all of our country.
"I’m sorry that we did not win this election for the values we all share.
"You represent the best of America, and being your candidate has been one of the greatest honours of my life.
"I know how disappointed you feel, because I feel it too.
"This is painful, and it will be for a long time.
"But I want you to remember this.
"Our campaign was never about one person, it was about building a country that we love."
Trump won the election with 279 electoral college votes against Clinton's 228 with some votes still being counted.
Despite losing the race to Trump, Clinton won the national popular vote and amassed 59,059,121 votes compared to her rival's 58,935,231.
She is the fifth candidate in US history to have won the national popular vote while failing to pick up enough all-important electoral college votes.
In a voice that sometimes choked with emotion, Clinton added: "We have seen that our country was more deeply divided than we ever thought."
In what may have been an attack on what many believed was a divisive campaign by her rival, she added: "We’ve spent a year-and-a-half bringing together millions of people.
"We believe the American dream is big enough for everyone.”
She added the country is for men, women, LGBT people, people with disabilities - “for everyone”.
Hillary Clinton hoped to shatter one of America's most resilient glass ceilings by become the nation's first ever female President.
She told her supporters: "To all the women who put their faith in this campaign and me, I want you to know that nothing has made me prouder than to be your champion.
"I know we have still not shattered that highest and hardest glass ceiling, but I know someday someone will, and hopefully sooner than we might think right now.
"And to all the little girls who are watching this, never doubt that you are valuable and deserving of every chance to pursue your own dreams.";
Towards the end of her speech Clinton praised the outgoing President and First Lady, and said: "To Barack and Michelle Obama.
"Our country owes you an enormous debt of gratitude.
"We thank you for your graceful determined leadership that has meant so much.
“And to Bill and Chelsea, Mark, Charlotte, Aidan, my love for you means more than I can ever express.
"You criss-crossed this country on my behalf and lifted me up when I needed it most.
"You poured your hearts into this campaign, you were the best campaign that anybody could have ever expected or wanted.
"And to the millions of volunteers, community leaders, activists and union organisers."
Before leaving the stage Clinton said: "(I am) incredibly honored and grateful to have had this chance.
"May god bless you and may god bless the United States of America."
Clinton's running mate Senator Tim Kaine spoke before the failed presidential candidate, and said: "I'm proud of Hillary Clinton because she has been a great history maker."
He added: "And finally I'm proud of Hillary because she loves this country.
"Nobody had to wonder of Hillary Clinton where she would accept the outcome of this election."
Clinton, who was fawned over by an army of high-profile celebrity supporters, conceded to her opponent in a phone call after the result was announced.
It was an abject humiliation from which she will almost certainly never recover.
Speaking about the call, a victorious Trump told his supporters in Manhattan: "She congratulated us, it’s about us, on our victory, and I congratulated her and her family on a very very hard fought campaign.
"She fought it very well.
"Hillary has worked very long and very hard over a long period of time, and we owe her a major debt of gratitude to our country."
In the run-up to the election Trump threatened to hire a special prosecutor to looking into Clinton's "situation" and claimed "there has never been so many lies and so much deception".
The remark referred to an FBI investigation into Clinton's use of a private email server whilst serving as secretary of state.
It also played into a common perception in the US that Clinton is corrupt and dishonest.
Trump's campaign manager Kellyanne Conway has refused to rule out if a special prosecutor will be hired.
Pro-Clinton supporters clashed with Republicans in major cities within minutes of Trump being named President-elect.
There were fights outside the White House as violence spread across the US, and shocking footage has shown protesters burning American flags in protest at Trump's victory.
Barely an hour before Trump was declared the winner, Clinton's campaign chief John Podesta was still refusing to concede defeat.
He sent supporters home and told them: "I know you’ve been here a long time and it’s been a long night and it’s been a long campaign, but I can say, we can wait a little longer, can’t we?
"We’re still counting votes and every vote should count. Several states are too close to call, so we’re not going to have anything more to say tonight.
"We are not done. Let's get the votes counted and bring this home."
Donald Trump sent shockwaves across the world after delivering his own "Brexit for America" in his defeat of Hillary Clinton yesterday.
In his first address as President-elect after a bitter campaign, Trump struck a unifying tone in front of crowds cheering "USA, USA".
He said it was "time for America to bind the wounds of division".
In an impassioned speech that continued his theme of reaching out to disillusioned Americans, Trump told a packed-out crowd in Manhattan: "The forgotten men and women of our country will be forgotten no longer".
He added: "I pledge to every citizen of our land that I will be president for all Americans, and this is so important for me".
Trump promised a "project of renewal" for America, saying everyone would be able to live up to their potential
His voice cracking, he continued: "It's time for us to come together as one united people. I pledge to every citizen that I will be president for all."
Trump also thanked the secret service and NYC law enforcement, and added: "It's been what they call a historic campaign.
"But to be really historic, you have to do a great job. And I promise you that we will not let you down. We will do a great job.
"While the campaign is over, our work on this movement is really only just beginning."
Giving his iconic thumbs up to the delighted crowds, Trump said: "Every single American will have the ability to realise his or her potential."
Outgoing US President Barack Obama has formally invited Trump to the White House tomorrow after congratulating him on his victory.
The call would likely have been humiliating for Obama, after Trump spearheaded the birther conspiracy which questioned if he was born in the USA.
Trump dubbed himself "Mr Brexit" and fought on a ticket to "drain the swamp" of the Washington elite.
Before the election outcome was confirmed last night, Layne Bangerter, director of the Trump for President campaign told Press Association: "We're not over confident but now we are calling it.
"Florida is over. North Carolina, we're going to win."
He added: "I'm saying it's over- the voice of the people has risen up."
As the results began to roll in, all eyes were on the state of Ohio, which has picked the winning US president in every election since 1964. And its 18 electoral college votes went to Trump.
And more key states would follow with Florida, North Carolina, Iowa, Georgia and Utah.
A string of states across the American Midwest fell the Republicans' way - including Arkansas, where Hillary's husband Bill presided as governor.
It was a different story across the Clinton camp, with supporters falling silent as the outcome slowly appeared inevitable.
Flag waving ceases and all mention of Trump voting surges are met with deafening boos.
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