Trump formally becomes president-elect, US electoral college vote seals victory

Members of the US electoral college met at state capitals across the country to formalise Donald Trump’s stunning victory as president in the November 8 general elections.

“Today marks a historic electoral landslide victory in our nation’s democracy. I thank the American people for their overwhelming vote to elect me as their next President of the United States,” Trump said in a statement.

Members of electoral college met in their respective state capitals to formally elect the next president moments after he crossed the necessary 270 vote mark.

He would be sworn in as the 45^th President of the US on January 30.

“The official votes cast by the Electoral College exceeded the 270 required to secure the presidency by a very large margin, far greater than ever anticipated by the media,” Trump said.

“This election represents a movement that millions of hard working men and women all across the country stood behind and made possible,” he added.

“With this historic step we can look forward to the bright future ahead. I will work hard to unite our country and be the President of all Americans. Together, we will make America great again,” Trump said.

In a tweet later he took a dig at the media and its role during the general elections.

“We did it! Thank you to all of my great supporters, we just officially won the election (despite all of the distorted and inaccurate media),” Trump tweeted.

As per the final tally, Trump received 304 electoral college votes, while the Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton received 228 votes. Clinton, however, received over three million more popular votes than that of Trump.