Trump savors his election victory one more time before top donors, and promises: 'The next time, four years from now we’re going to win the old fashioned way'

• e-mail

President-elect Donald Trump savored his election win one last time Thursday night in a speech to top donors, talking up the territory he won, diminishing the densely populated enclaves that went Democratic, and praising a network who treated him 'fairly.'

'That was some big victory. That was some victory,' Trump said, relishing some of his electoral accomplishments just hours after stressing unifying themes at the Lincoln Memorial.

Trump turned almost immediately to the election map, which is sometimes taken as a sign of the deep divides between 'red America' and 'blue America,' speaking to a crowd that included senators and top officials, along with donors like New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft.

He described his election win as a blowout, and referenced maps on TV which showed huge swaths of red across the country on election night, even as Hillary Clinton won the popular vote by 3 million votes and carried populous states like New York and California.

'That was incredible,' Trump continued. 'More impressive, there was a map a couple of days after the election, and it showed the red counties and the blue counties. And the entire country, practically, other than the little points, was red,' Trump said. 

President-elect Donald Trump hailed the election maps that showed his victory, telling top donors the maps showed 'the entire country, practically, other than the little points, was red'

'And we have locations and we have destinations. And I've said before, and I was telling some people, "Next time, four years from now, next time we're going to win the old fashioned way," Trump continued. 'We're going to win because we did so well, because it was so overwhelming the thing we did.' 

Trump's comments about his decisive victory in the electoral college followed weeks of coverage about what intelligence agencies say was Russian interference in the election, as his day of celebration is set to be followed by a women's march in Washington.

Moments after he finished his remarks, the New York Times moved a story saying law enforcement and intelligence agencies were investigating intercepted communications and financial transactions between Russian officials and his associates. 

The article, which followed on a report by McClatchy News of an investigation headed by the FBI, mentioned three Trump associates: former campaign chairman Paul Manafort, foreign policy advisor Carter Page, and political operative and informal advisor Roger Stone. It said no conclusive evidence of wrongdoing had been found. 

'So anyway, thank you, baby. Thank you,' Trump told Kellyanne Conway, his campaign manager, as she took a bow

President-elect Donald Trump (C) and his wife Melania take the stage with Vice President-elect Mike Pence (L) and his wife Karen at a pre-inauguration candlelight dinner

Trump brought advisor and campaign manager Kellyanne Conway on stage during his remarks

President-elect Donald Trump (R) greets U.S. House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI) (L) and other guests at a pre-inauguration candlelight dinner

President-elect Donald Trump (2nd R) and his wife Melania take the stage with Vice President-elect Mike Pence (L) and his wife Karen

President-elect Donald Trump kisses his campaign manger Kellyanne Conway's hand at a pre-inauguration candlelight dinner. He called Conway 'baby' and noted that she was willing to agree to hostile TV interviews

President-elect Donald Trump and wife Melania Trump arrive for a reception and dinner at Union Station in Washington

'So this is a celebration of victory. You're my friends. We needed this victory,' Trump told his financial backers.

'Three weeks before we won, as you know, it was going to be the single greatest defeat in the history of politics. They predicted that this would be the greatest loss in political history. Not even modern political history. They said "in political history." And I'll tell you one thing: I outworked everybody. I think I outworked anybody who ever ran for office. I learned that from Belichick, right?' he said, in reference to the Patriots coach.

Trump said he wouldn't let a rainy forecast dampen his spirits, and joked that there would be an upside relating to his famous hair. 

'But tomorrow we have a speech, probably around twelve o'clock. It may rain, it may not rain. I don't care,' Trump said. 'Doesn't matter. I mean, the truth is if it really pours, that's okay. Because people will realize it's my real hair.'

Trump made reference to a county-by-county map of the elections that showed 'the entire country, practically, other than the little points, was red'

In this cartogram map, the sizes of counties are adjusted according to population, revealing large blue swaths of populated areas on the coasts that went Democratic

'And that's okay. That's okay. Might be a mess, but they're going to see it's my real hair,' he said.

Trump quickly moved into media commentary, taking shots at general coverage and praising Fox News, which gave him plenty of air time on the road to the White House. 

'All of them, the main networks, the cable networks – although Fox has treated us very well, I have to say. Very well,' Trump said in one digression.

'By well, I mean fairly,' he added.

'I can’t stand them but actually a couple of them are starting to get honest, he said of the networks.

Trump singled out for praise advisor Kellyanne Conway, who sported a red dress and whom he invited on stage.

'And I see my Kellyanne. Oh, Kellyanne. Come here! Come here, Kellyanne. Get up here. Come here, Kellyanne. She's been so great. Wow!' Trump said of his final campaign manager.

'So there is no den she will not go into. When my men are petrified to go on a certain network, I say, "Kellyanne, would you do it?" "Absolutely. No problem." Then she gets on and she just destroys them. So anyway, thank you, baby. Thank you. Thank you. Be careful.'

Trump told a story about nixed fireworks that was a feature of a post-election victory 'thank you' tour to states that he won.

'I told a group today, they canceled their fireworks two weeks out, and there was a little story that they canceled – they spent $7 million on fireworks. And they canceled it, and that's because history has proven that if you're going to lose, you don't want fireworks, right? And that was a good sign.'

'We'll see you – we have an election coming up in two years. We're going to get a lot of senators and lot of congressmen elected. A lot. We're going to get a lot of them elected,' Trump pledged.

Ivanka Trump attended the candlelight dinner along with other Trump family members

Trump also pointed to his siblings in the crowd, including his sister, Maryanne Trump Barry, who is an appeals court judge.

'We have a family that gets along,' Trump said.

'My sons, look at them standing there. I say why aren’t you campaigning today?' Trump quipped.

The event was billed as a candlelight dinner. 

Trump complimented some of his favorite cabinet picks, including his choice to run the Pentagon.

'Speaking of safety, we have General [James] Mattis. Now I don’t’ know if he likes being called ‘Mad Dog’ Mattis. So I will not call him ‘Mad Dog Mattis. I’ll just call him General Mattis. He’s here some place. He is going to keep us safe,' Trump promised.

He wasn't as complimentary of some of the people who lost out to his new pick, Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue, to be the next Agriculture secretary.

Purdue 'came into my office two months ago, since then I saw 10 people that everybody liked. Politically correct. And I kept thinking back to Sonny Perdue, a great, great farmer,' Trump said.

'He loves farms, knows everything about farming. Knows everything about agriculture. He's been successful in farming, he knows the good stuff and the bad stuff. But people came into my office and they said, "I'm really wanting the job."'

'But I said, Tell me, do you have any experience with farms or agriculture?" "No sir, I don’t." "Have you ever seen a farm?" The one gentleman, who's a great guy – we'll find something else, okay? But I can't make him secretary of agriculture!' Trump said of the unnamed person who lost out to Perdue.

He praised his choice to run homeland security, retired Gen. Mike Kelly.

'And border guards – even before he gets there, they're saying, "Wow, what a difference. What a difference,' Trump said.

President-elect Donald Trump told supporters that at the inauguration Friday, 'You're going to cheer me on, but I'm going to cheer you on'

Last stop: The group then headed over to the Make America Great Again! Welcome Celebration concert, which featured performances from 3 Doors Down and Toby Keith (Trumps arrive at the Make America Great Again! Welcome Celebration concert) 

'You know, I was very honored to get border security, all of the border patrol agents, they endorsed Trump. We had 16,500. ICE endorsed Trump,' he said, referring to a union of immigration employees, not the agency itself.

 'And they know what's happening. Oh, they've already started, because General Kelly is going to do an unbelievable job in keeping us all safe.'

Earlier, at a concert held at the Lincoln Memorial, Trump told supporters he would be cheering them on during his historic inauguration – and even predicted a 'beautiful day' despite a rainy forecast.

'I'm going to be cheering you on. You're going to cheer me on, but I'm going to cheer you on,' Trump told supporters who gathered for a pre-inaugural concert.

After defying predictions throughout his unpredictable campaign, Trump even promised a 'beautiful' swearing in when he takes the oath of office on the West Front of the Capitol Friday. 

'So I’ll see you tomorrow and I don’t care frankly if it’s going to be beautiful or if it’s going to rain like crazy. Makes no difference to me,' Trump said.

'I have a feeling it’s going to be beautiful. But I will see you tomorrow.'