© 2026 ABC News

The election night party features a $7,000 cake bust of the candidate:

Spotted at @realDonaldTrump Victory Party: a $7,000 cake bust. pic.twitter.com/8Ay8Ej3NeF

— Candace Smith (@CandaceSmith_) November 9, 2016

And on the stage are two red \"Make America great again\" hats ensconced in glass cases.

\"PHOTO:
Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
PHOTO: A "Make America Great Again" hat sits in a glass case during Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump's election night party at the New York Hilton Midtown, Nov. 8, 2016 in New York City.
>

On each end of Trump's stage tonight his \"iconic\" Make America Great Again\" red hats in glass cases (a staffer called them iconic) pic.twitter.com/Y53x8SGzhS

— John Santucci (@JTSantucci) November 8, 2016

Trump began his evening at Trump Tower with Republican vice presidential candidate Mike Pence and their campaign team, watching the results come in.

Senior level sources told ABC News that Trump, who spent most of the night at campaign headquarters in Trump Tower, then went upstairs to his apartment to be alone with his wife, Melania Trump.

\"He needed a moment. He is taking this in,\" one source with direct knowledge told ABC News. The source said Trump Tower is \"exploding.\"

House Speaker Paul Ryan called Trump earlier this evening \"and the two had a very good conversation,\" a Ryan spokesperson said. \"The speaker congratulated Trump on his big night and also spoke with his good friend Gov. Mike Pence.\"

Trump's campaign manager, Kellyanne Conway, said earlier this evening that Trump was \"energized and optimistic.\"

Senior sources described the mood in Trump Tower as \"intense\" and \"fireworks.\" One source told ABC News the mood was \"buoyant.\"

Another source told ABC News, \"We have a shot.\"

Watching the returns at 9:45pm. #ElectionNight #MAGA???? pic.twitter.com/HfuJeRZbod

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 9, 2016

In the \"war room\" watching the returns!!! pic.twitter.com/hOgrQPtgSh

— Eric Trump (@EricTrump) November 9, 2016

Photos: Best Photos from Election Night 2016

Clinton is watching the results tonight with her family just a block away from Trump Tower at the Peninsula hotel. She had been expected to head to the Javits Center for her election night party.

Trump told Fox News' Martha MacCallum earlier today, \"I feel good about tonight.\"

\"We'll have to see what happens, but we're getting very good numbers coming out, and we'll see,\" he said. \"Who knows? But I think we are going to do very well.\"

ABC News' Katherine Faulders and Candace Smith contributed to this report.

","canonicalUrl":"https://abcnews.com/Politics/donald-trump-spending-election-night/story?id=43396332","legacySlug":"/news/story/donald-trump-spending-election-night-43396332","noIndexNoFollow":false},"publishTime":"07:19","publishDate":"11-09-2016","updatedTime":"07:22","updatedDate":"11-09-2016","socialImage":{"alt":"Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump speaks during a campaign rally in Leesburg, Virginia, Nov. 7, 2016.","credit":"Carlo Allegri/Reuters ","ratio":"16x9","url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/Politics/RT_trump_hair1-cf-161107_1_16x9_1600.jpg","width":992,"height":558},"datePublished":"11/9/2016 07:19:00 GMT","video":{"live":false,"id":43396332,"headline":"How Donald Trump Is Spending Election Night","mediaAssetTitle":"shapiro_where_trump_is_161108","description":"Trump watched returns at Trump Tower then headed to Hilton.","duration":"4:06","posterImg":{"url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/default-img-undefined.png","width":608,"height":342},"video":{"feed":"https://service-pkgabcnews.akamaized.net/opp/hls/abcnews/2016/11/161108_gostream_election_faulders_ny_,500,800,1200,1800,2500,3200,4500,.mp4.csmil/playlist.m3u8"},"playlist":["132306053","132266872","132055565"]},"relatedItems":[{"contentType":"video","date":"April 23, 2026","headline":"Trump orders Navy to 'shoot and kill' any boat laying mines in Strait of Hormuz","section":"News","slug":"/video/132306053","id":"132306053","image":{"alt":"VIDEO: Trump orders Navy to 'shoot and kill' any boat laying mines in Strait of Hormuz","credit":"ABCNews.com","ratio":"1x1","url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260423_gma_scott_ceasefire3_hpMain_1x1_608.jpg","width":384,"height":384},"images":{"alt":"VIDEO: Trump orders Navy to 'shoot and kill' any boat laying mines in Strait of Hormuz","credit":"ABCNews.com","crops":[{"16x9":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260423_gma_scott_ceasefire3_hpMain_16x9_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260423_gma_scott_ceasefire3_hpMain_16x9_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260423_gma_scott_ceasefire3_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg"}},{"9x16":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260423_gma_scott_ceasefire3_hpMain_9x16_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260423_gma_scott_ceasefire3_hpMain_9x16_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260423_gma_scott_ceasefire3_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg"}},{"1x1":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260423_gma_scott_ceasefire3_hpMain_1x1_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260423_gma_scott_ceasefire3_hpMain_1x1_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260423_gma_scott_ceasefire3_hpMain_1x1_1600.jpg"}}]}},{"contentType":"video","date":"April 22, 2026","headline":"Fallout after Fed nominee grilled on Capitol Hill","section":"News","slug":"/video/132266872","id":"132266872","image":{"alt":"VIDEO: Fallout after Fed nominee grilled on Capitol Hill","credit":"ABCNews.com","ratio":"1x1","url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260422_gma_schulze_fed3_713_hpMain_1x1_608.jpg","width":384,"height":384},"images":{"alt":"VIDEO: Fallout after Fed nominee grilled on Capitol Hill","credit":"ABCNews.com","crops":[{"16x9":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260422_gma_schulze_fed3_713_hpMain_16x9_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260422_gma_schulze_fed3_713_hpMain_16x9_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260422_gma_schulze_fed3_713_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg"}},{"9x16":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260422_gma_schulze_fed3_713_hpMain_9x16_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260422_gma_schulze_fed3_713_hpMain_9x16_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260422_gma_schulze_fed3_713_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg"}},{"1x1":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260422_gma_schulze_fed3_713_hpMain_1x1_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260422_gma_schulze_fed3_713_hpMain_1x1_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260422_gma_schulze_fed3_713_hpMain_1x1_1600.jpg"}}]}},{"contentType":"video","date":"April 15, 2026","headline":"American influencer found dead in Tanzania","section":"News","slug":"/video/132055565","id":"132055565","image":{"alt":"VIDEO: American influencer found dead in Tanzania","credit":"ABCNews.com","ratio":"1x1","url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260415_gma_norwood_ashlee2_732_hpMain_1x1_608.jpg","width":384,"height":384},"images":{"alt":"VIDEO: American influencer found dead in Tanzania","credit":"ABCNews.com","crops":[{"16x9":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260415_gma_norwood_ashlee2_732_hpMain_16x9_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260415_gma_norwood_ashlee2_732_hpMain_16x9_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260415_gma_norwood_ashlee2_732_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg"}},{"9x16":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260415_gma_norwood_ashlee2_732_hpMain_9x16_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260415_gma_norwood_ashlee2_732_hpMain_9x16_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260415_gma_norwood_ashlee2_732_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg"}},{"1x1":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260415_gma_norwood_ashlee2_732_hpMain_1x1_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260415_gma_norwood_ashlee2_732_hpMain_1x1_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260415_gma_norwood_ashlee2_732_hpMain_1x1_1600.jpg"}}]}}],"relatedContentSection":"news","schemaContent":{"name":"How Donald Trump Is Spending Election Night","description":"Trump watched returns at Trump Tower then headed to Hilton.","duration":"4:06","uploadDate":"11-09-2016","publication":"11-09-2016","images":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/default-img-undefined.png","url":"https://service-pkgabcnews.akamaized.net/opp/hls/abcnews/2016/11/161108_gostream_election_faulders_ny_,500,800,1200,1800,2500,3200,4500,.mp4.csmil/playlist.m3u8","contentUrl":"https://service-pkgabcnews.akamaized.net/opp/hls/abcnews/2016/11/161108_gostream_election_faulders_ny_,500,800,1200,1800,2500,3200,4500,.mp4.csmil/playlist.m3u8","link":"https://www.goodmorningamerica.com/news/story/donald-trump-spending-election-night-43396332"}},"playlist":[{"id":"132281378","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"132283010","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"132273278","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"132231169","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"132206748","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"132200241","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"132054443","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"132054798","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"132033010","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131912713","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131830583","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131834976","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131554765","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131554815","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131543053","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131432442","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131121474","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131247079","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131228784","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131178806","contentType":"story","section":"news"}],"kvps":{"pgtyp":"article","lang":"en","sp":"goodmorningamerica","programmatic":"true","bundleId":"com.abcnews"}},"analytics":{"accountID":"wdgnewwdgnewgmaweb","ns":"gma","pageName":"gma:news:video","pageType":"video","globalSpecVersion":"v1.08","siteDifferentiator":"gma:site","tagID":"g_page01","userABCookie":"0","section":"news","title":"How Donald Trump Is Spending Election Night","pubTime":"02:19","pubDate":"11-09-2016","modTime":"02:22","modDate":"11-09-2016","taxonomyTags":"none","id":43396332,"editorialOtherSubjects":"","wordCount":"none","columns":"none","authors":"","authorsUnit":"none","authorsBureau":"none","subBrand":"Good Morning America","provider":"Good Morning America","videoName":"How Donald Trump Is Spending Election Night","mediaAssetTitle":"shapiro_where_trump_is_161108","videoId":43396332,"mediaOnPage":"video","legacySlug":"/news/story/donald-trump-spending-election-night-43396332"},"taboola":{}},"request":{"headers":{},"httpVersion":"1.1","method":"GET","url":"/video/43396332","vary":{"host":"www.goodmorningamerica.com","cached":true,"path":"/video/43396332","forwarded-proto":"https","device":"desktop","userab":"0"}},"viewport":{"width":1260,"height":0},"user":{}};