Donald Trump revelers gather in Florida to await his arrival
Elon Musk, the worldâs richest man, planned to spend election night with Donald Trump in Florida at his Mar-a-Lago resort, he said on X/Twitter.
Mr Musk, the owner of Tesla and X, has aggressively campaigned for the Republican candidate in swing states across the country.
Trumpâs campaign also hosted watch parties at the Palm Beach Convention Center for thousands of supporters.
The tech billionaire has emerged as one of the most important backers of Trump and donated more than $119m (ÂŁ91.6m) this election cycle to America PAC â a political action committee he created to support the former president.
Mr Musk announced his support for the former president earlier this year, despite saying in 2022 that âitâs time for Trump to hang up his hat and sail into the sunsetâ.
He posted a photo of himself on Tuesday saying he voted in Cameron County, Texas â where some of his companies are headquartered â before heading to Florida.
Later in the evening, he wrote on X, âGame, set and match.â
The campaign was feeling confident late Tuesday night that it would win as supporters gathered at Trumpâs headquarters in the Palm Beach convention centre to wait for results. At one point, the crowd broke into a dance celebration to âYMCA.â
At the centre, as the state of Florida was projected as a win for Trump, huge cheers erupted in the crowd.
It was never in doubt that he would carry this former swing state thatâs now solidly Republican red, but it added to the celebratory mood.
The crowd was especially ecstatic about positive margins so far for Georgia and North Carolina. Whenever Harrisâs name appeared on the watch screen, itâs met with boos.
Former congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard arrived at the party, after previously attending Trumpâs more exclusive watch party at Mar-a-Lago.
âThereâs a lot of really excited people thereâ who were âcautiously optimistic,â she told the BBC.
Steve Witkoff, a close friend of Trumpâs, also was with him at Mar-a-Lago.
Thereâs âa strong feeling of excitement and purpose,â he said.
The crowd was a sea of red Maga hats and other unique and eccentric outfits that have become staples at Trump rallies.
Blake Marnell often wears his brick patterned suit to Trump events, in support of the former presidentâs border policies and proposals.
He says he is feeling very optimistic and that the âtrue successâ of Trump will be how long his âpolitical philosophy enduresâ.
Next to the convention venue, the Hilton hotel is hosting a party for Trump supporters.
With everyone in formalwear, it has the atmosphere of a prom, or, if you are Iowa Republican delegate Deborah Yanna: âItâs like Christmas morning.â
Thatâs how she described the sense of anticipation as results roll in.
âWhen President Trump takes the White House back, heâs going to âmake America sparkle againâ,â she said.
She turned around to reveal her sequined jacket, which had those words bedazzled on the back.
Sergio Ramirez, a business owner originally from El Salvador, also gathered at the convention centre to support Trump.
âIf he doesnât win, itâs because they cheated,â he laughs. âI donât see how she can win â Kamala wasnât a popular candidate, she was placed in there and over the last four years everyone has been hurting financiallyâ, he said.
His take was echoed by Michael, dressed in a âBlacks for Trump 2024â T-shirt. âWe outnumbered them in early voting and we outnumber them nowâ, he claims.
Elsewhere, Steve Bannon, former chief strategist of the Trump White House, plans to hold an election watch party tonight at the Willard Hotel â the five-star Washington DC hotel that served as the âcommand centreâ for Trump loyalists seeking to overturn the 2020 election results.
Bannon was released from federal prison one week ago, after serving four months behind bars for contempt of the US Congress.
Kamala Harris will spend election night at Howard University, her alma mater and a historically black university in Washington DC.