Trump says he expected to lose election because of poll results

[WASHINGTON] Donald Trump was just as surprised as the rest of the country. The president elect said publicly on Tuesday that he expected to lose the election to Democrat Hillary Clinton, based on polls showing him behind in several critical states.

"I went to see my wife. I say, 'Baby, I tell you what. We're not going to win tonight,"' Mr Trump said in West Allis, Wisconsin. "The polls are coming out - I always used to believe in those things. I don't believe them anymore." Mr Trump made the comments during a victory rally at the Wisconsin State Fair Exposition Center, where he appeared in public with House Speaker Paul Ryan for only the second time this year. Since Thanksgiving, Mr Trump has visited several states that were key to his victory, calling it a "thank you tour" to his supporters. He abandoned much of his prepared remarks on Tuesday to recount his election-night tale.

He said that he had intentionally rented a smaller hotel ballroom, expecting to make a brief concession speech after losing to Clinton. Instead, the concession turned into a celebration, and Mr Trump delivered a speech in which he was unusually gracious to his opponent and promised to unite a divided nation.

"I said if we're going to lose I don't want a big ballroom," he said. He said he figured he'd thank the guests and then "I'm out of there, right?" But as the night progressed, TV stations kept announcing Mr Trump had won another state.

"The map - bing bing bing, you know - that map was getting red as hell. That map was bleeding red," Mr Trump said.

BLOOMBERG