US election: At Donald Trump’s election night HQ, sequins, ruffles – and barely restrained joy

Supporters of Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump cheer as results are announced during an election night watch party at the Palm Beach County Convention Center in West Palm Beach, Florida. Photo / Jabin Botsford for The Washington Post

In a sign of how close Donald Trump’s aides expected the election night results could be, they arranged for the former President to have a private area at his gilded Mar-a-Lago Club to process the results – “where the world doesn’t have access to him”, as one adviser put it.

But at least early Tuesday evening (today NZT), with only a dozen or so obvious states called – Alabama for Trump, Vermont for Vice-President Kamala Harris – the mood among Trump’s advisers, donors and allies was one of elation. Some took shots at the nearby bar of the Hilton hotel, adjacent to the Palm Beach Convention Centre, the home of Trump’s official election night party. And Trump advisers circulated data throughout the evening signalling they were going to win, largely based on turnout and early voting data.

One major donor said the exuberance was almost too widespread, leading – incongruously – to a frisson of concern. “You almost worry there is too much optimism,” said this person, who like others spoke on the condition of anonymity to be more candid. “I haven’t talked to a single person all day who thinks we are going to lose.”

The mood marked a noted contrast to Trump’s last full day of campaigning, where he often seemed eager to simply survive until Election Day, reminding himself as much as the crowd that the race was his to lose, and that he and his team were on the goal line.

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Trump, who huddled at his private club with top aides and donors who had contributed millions, spent part of the evening calling into state offices for updates and received a positive prognosis when he dialled into the Pennsylvania war room, an adviser said. Trump urged the Pennsylvania team to make sure the election wasn’t stolen in Philadelphia, this person added. City officials said voting was safe and secure, and there was no truth to any allegations it was marred by cheating.

Donald Trump supporters cheer as results are announced during an election night party at the Palm Beach County Convention Centre in West Palm Beach, Florida. Photo / Jabin Botsford for the Washington Post

Inside the cavernous, overly air-conditioned convention hall, the vibe was Palm Beach Republican chic – sequins and ruffles aplenty, statement reds, tight dresses and cleavage, and obligatory Maga hats for men and women alike. (The campaign handed out two types – both red, one with the phrase fully written, and the other with just an oversize white “Maga” – to the early arrivals). Some of the custodial staff also sported red Maga hats.

A line for photos against a navy, red and white backdrop, emblazoned atop with “Make America Great Again”, snaked around a corner, and a cash bar offered beer, wine and soft drinks, as supporters sipped from plastic cups, killing time.

When CNN showed Trump leading in North Carolina and Pennsylvania, two critical battleground states, the whole room erupted in roars – and shortly thereafter, the channel on the large screens in the front of the room switched to Fox.

For Trump and his team, however, the day had begun far earlier when he landed back in Palm Beach just after 6am following a whirlwind nearly 24-hour swing through three states and four cities, culminating in Grand Rapids, Michigan, in the early hours of Election Day.

Shortly after arriving home in Florida, Trump and his wife, Melania, travelled to a Palm Beach gymnasium to vote. The President, wearing a Maga hat, appeared tired but optimistic saying, when asked, that he could not name any campaign regrets.

“We ran a great campaign,” he said.

The former President then began to attack various opponents, including Oprah Winfrey, Fox News, former President Barack Obama and election officials who are slow to count votes. He again called for in-person voting and said he didn’t need to tell his supporters to avoid violence because they were not violent people – a claim that failed to acknowledge the deadly January 6, 2021, insurrection at the US Capitol at the hands of his supporters.

Presidential hopeful Donald Trump arrives to cast his votes in Palm Beach, Florida.

Melania, clad in oversize sunglasses, barely spoke, saying only that she felt “very good”.

Afterwards, Trump headed to his campaign headquarters, where he thanked the staff and asked various advisers to give positive reports on the state of the race. Posters of Trump’s debate with President Joe Biden, modelled after promotional material for UFC fights, hung on the walls, and the staff cheered loudly for Susie Wiles, Trump’s top campaign adviser.

At one point, the former President began to lambast mail-in voting and early voting, which his aides had desperately tried, with mixed success, to get him to support, saying it was a disgrace results wouldn’t really roll in before 10pm Tuesday (local time).

Trump stayed for less than 30 minutes, before returning to Mar-a-Lago, where he waved to supporters before retreating to his private office.

Earlier, at his local polling station, Trump had sounded a nostalgic note, saying that regardless of the election outcome, he suspected this would be his last campaign.

“I would think so. I would think so,” Trump said.

Asked how he felt about nearing the end, Trump responded: “Sad. Sad and very fulfilled.”

“I think we’re going to have a very big victory today,” he said, offering an early glimpse of the mood that would continue to deepen within his orbit as the night wore on.