The night that shocked the world: How Trump started the night hoping for a 'miracle' – and ended as the world's most powerful man
- As the polls closed at 6pm EST (11pm GMT) Hillary Clinton was favourite - hours later she was finished
- In six minutes President-elect took series of key states before crashing through Clinton's Midwest firewall
- Humiliation as Trump swoops to take Arkansas - where Bill Clinton was governor before he won in 1992
- 20 minutes before she called Trump to concede campaign manager John Podesta issued bizarre rallying cry
Donald Trump is the next President of the United States - but 12 hours before becoming the world's most powerful man pollsters and pundits had already written him off.
As voting ended last night Mrs Clinton was supposed to have a crucial lead but as state after state fell to her Republican rival it soon became clear her campaign was doomed.
Three hours later Trump took Kansas, North Dakota, South Dakota, Texas, Wyoming, Nebraska and then, significantly, Arkansas, where Hillary's husband Bill was governor for more than a decade before winning the 1992 presidential election.
He also took Florida before Mrs Clinton's Midwest firewall of Ohio, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and Iowa all crumbled and went to Trump, as did her hopes of become America's first woman President.
Despite the writing being on the wall Hillary Clinton's campaign manager John Podesta refused to concede defeat - at 2am telling supporters in New York: 'Let's get these votes counted and let's bring this home.'
But within 20 minutes Clinton had telephoned her rival Trump to end the bout - but has still not faced her supporters.
After victory was confirmed the billionaire President-elect said he was swept into the White House by 'an incredible and great movement, made up of millions of working men and women who love their country and want a better, brighter future for themselves and for their family'.
This is how the most dramatic and divisive US Presidential election in history unfolded:
The polls close and then Trump's march starts
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![Donald Trump pictured during his victory speech](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2016/11/09/10/3A328A4200000578-3919450-image-a-29_1478686523912.jpg)
![Hillary Clinton pictured at her final rally](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2016/11/09/10/3A2A1B9900000578-3919450-image-m-28_1478686515406.jpg)
Battle royale: Donald Trump (left during his victory speech) had been written off by pollsters as Hillary Clinton (pictured at her final rally) was told it was her's to lose. Within hours of the polls closing she was humiliated and forced to concede
6.05pm EST (11.05pm GMT) - The polls close with Hillary said to have a narrow lead, which turned out to be false
7.05pm - The first results of the night are in, and they are following the form guide. Donald Trump wins Indiana and Kentucky, while Hillary Clinton takes Vermont, the Associated Press news agency reports.
7.30pm - In a further early - albeit predictable - fillip for the Republicans, Trump takes West Virginia.
7.32pm - Trump wins West Virginia, as expected.
8.02pm - Clinton takes Delaware, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey and the District of Columbia, while Trump wins in Oklahoma.
8.11pm - South Carolina falls to Trump.
8.16pm - Trump wins Tennessee.
8.30pm - His winning run continues by taking Alabama.
8.42pm - Clinton wins Rhode Island.
8.55pm - Trump wins Mississippi - moments later In a message which appears to betray the nervousness in the Clinton camp, the Democratic nominee thanks her supporters on Twitter 'whatever happens tonight'.
9pm - Clinton wins in Illinois.
![JACKSON, MISSISSIPPI:Stephanie Baile, intern for Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, looks heartbroken as Trump takes the state at 8.55pm EST](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2016/11/09/10/3A31D58400000578-3919450-image-a-8_1478685771130.jpg)
JACKSON, MISSISSIPPI:Stephanie Baile, intern for Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, looks heartbroken as Trump takes the state at 8.55pm EST
False hope for Clinton before states fall fast and then her firewall crumbles
![TRUMP HEADQUARTERS, NEW YORK: Supporters lose control as Trump takes state after state before crashing through Clinton's firewall](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2016/11/09/10/3A31F5BF00000578-3919450-image-a-10_1478685920972.jpg)
TRUMP HEADQUARTERS, NEW YORK: Supporters lose control as Trump takes state after state before crashing through Clinton's firewall
9.05pm - Trump gains victories in Kansas, North Dakota, South Dakota, Texas, Wyoming and Nebraska. Rival Hillary Clinton takes her home state of New York.
9.11pm - Trump takes Arkansas, where Bill Clinton - husband of the Democratic candidate - was governor for more than a decade before winning the 1992 presidential election.
9.29pm - Clinton hits back by taking Connecticut.
9.31pm - Trump also wins in Louisiana, as financial markets around the globe begin reacting.
9.48pm - Trump follows his presidential rival in posting an image to Twitter. His depicts members of his family gathered at Trump tower to watch the results come in. His wife Melania is among those present, but appears to have her eyes closed.
10.03pm - Trump wins in Montana.
10.25pm - Clinton wins in New Mexico.
10.28pm - But within minutes, Trump claims Missouri.
10.32pm - Layne Bangerter, director of the Trump for President campaign in Idaho, tells the Press Association the Republican candidate has won the race for the White House. He says: 'I'm saying it's over - the voice of the people has risen up.'
10.36pm - And with that, Trump wins Ohio - where voters have correctly picked every single US president since 1960.
10.39pm - Trump wins in Ohio.
10.44pm - Clinton claims Virginia, as expected.
10.46pm - She follows it up, moments later, with confirmation of victory in Colorado - a swing state.
Florida, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania fall - and Clinton's chances vanish
![ORLANDO, FLORIDA: Trump supporters react as Fox News predicts Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump will carry the state, which is proved correct at 10.54pm EST](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2016/11/09/10/3A31FC0F00000578-3919450-image-a-7_1478685694374.jpg)
ORLANDO, FLORIDA: Trump supporters react as Fox News predicts Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump will carry the state, which is proved correct at 10.54pm EST
![EUGENE, OREGON: Trump supporter Robin Bernik reacts as Trump's victory looks assured, even though he lost her home state](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2016/11/09/10/3A32CBEB00000578-3919450-image-m-33_1478687110056.jpg)
EUGENE, OREGON: Trump supporter Robin Bernik reacts as Trump's victory looks assured, even though he lost her home state
10.54pm - But Trump's bid for the White House is boosted considerably by taking the key battleground of Florida.
11.03pm - Trump wins Idaho while Clinton takes California and Hawaii
11.09pm - Clinton takes Oregon.
11.14pm - Trump wins North Carolina - considered a battleground state, having voted Democrat in 2008 and Republican in 2012.
11.33pm - Washington state goes to Clinton.
11.37pm - Trump takes Georgia.
11.56pm - Trump's apparent march towards the White House continues with victory in Utah.
12.06am - He follows it by taking Iowa.
12.26am - Clinton wins Nevada.
1.35am - Trump finally clinches Pennsylvania, another key state, making his lead virtually unassailable.
Podesta's bizarre refusal to concede before victory is confirmed minutes later
![CLINTON HEADQUARTERS, NEW YORK: John Podesta, chairman of the 2016 Hillary Clinton presidential campaign, issues a rallying cry 20 minutes before gives in to the inevitable and concedes at 2.35am](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2016/11/09/10/3A327E2600000578-3919450-image-a-12_1478686030914.jpg)
CLINTON HEADQUARTERS, NEW YORK: John Podesta, chairman of the 2016 Hillary Clinton presidential campaign, issues a rallying cry 20 minutes before gives in to the inevitable and concedes at 2.35am
2.07am - Hillary Clinton's campaign manager John Podesta refuses to concede defeat, telling supporters in New York: 'Let's get these votes counted and let's bring this home.'
2.30am - Trump wins Wisconsin and effectively becomes the next president of the United States.
2.35am - Hillary Clinton calls Donald Trump to concede defeat.
2.50am - Mr Trump tells jubilant supporters in New York: 'I've just received a call from Secretary Clinton. She congratulated us - it's about us - on our victory and I congratulated her and her family on a very, very hard fought campaign.'
He added: 'It's been what they call a historic event - but to be a really historic we have to do a great job. I promise you I will not let you down, we will do a great job - I look very much forward to being your president. And hopefully at the end of two years, or three years, or four years - or maybe even eight years - you will say that so many of you worked so hard, but you will say that was something that you were really very proud to do.'
![TRUMP HEADQUARTERS, NEW YORK: President-elect Donald Trump gives his acceptance speech during his election night rally at 2.50am EST where he pays tribute to his rival](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2016/11/09/10/3A328DFA00000578-3919450-image-a-14_1478686099244.jpg)
TRUMP HEADQUARTERS, NEW YORK: President-elect Donald Trump gives his acceptance speech during his election night rally at 2.50am EST where he pays tribute to his rival
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