Watch Replay of Donald Trump Victory Speech and Party at New York Hilton

UPDATE, Nov. 9, 2:40 a.m. Eastern Time: Donald Trump has been elected the 45th president of the United States. He arrived to his election night event at the Hilton in the wee hours Tuesday, many hours after it began, and gave a brief yet triumphant victory speech to his supporters. Video and live blog below.

MIDTOWN MANHATTAN, NY — Minutes after being declared the 45th U.S. president in the wee hours Wednesday, Donald Trump addressed his supporters — and his countrypeople — from a private room at the Hilton Hotel in Midtown Manhattan after a long, exhausting Election Day in New York City.

The Trump campaign planned its "invite-only" election night party for special guests only at the Hilton beginning around 6:30 p.m. EST.

Video of Trump's big night at the Hilton is embedded below. (If one doesn't work, try the other.) Click here for all the latest election results. And below you'll find a minute-by-minute live blog of the Trump event, via Patch's New York City team.

8:10 p.m.

All day long, in preparation for The Donald's arrival, the front of the Hilton New York has been blocked by giant garbage trucks filled with sand — a blast or gunfire barrier, of sorts, in case anyone has a death wish for the Republican candidate.

Also lined up now are tons of news trucks, most of them from international outlets; a small crowd of Trump fans; a Trump merch seller or two; some Halal guys, who are making a killing; and a fair amount of cops, one of whom tells us things have been relatively calm all day. Pics below.

8:15 p.m.

Journalists invited to the Trump party are milling about his party space at the Hilton, seeing and being seen.

According to Politico reporter Hadas Gold, Fox News reporter (and Trump rival) Megyn Kelly "just called the giant video chandelier thing they have the ‘circle of doom.'"

Molly Ball from The Atlantic, meanwhile, has spotted cult right blogger Milo Yiannopoulos, a fan of Trump. In a reply tweet, her editor tells her to "run."

9:05 p.m.

Trump is currently watching election results roll in with his "family and friends" at Trump Tower, the property he owns a few blocks north of the Hilton.

In the blocks between, a full mariachi band does its thing alongside NYPD security forces:

NBC reporter Alex Seitz-Wald tweeted earlier in the day that he heard a heavily armored cop say of Trump outside the Hilton: "If he wins, it's going to be mayhem."

There's not much evidence of any future riot at this hour, though. A lone protester stands his ground outside the Hilton...

... while a small pro-Trump crowd forms nearby.

9:30 p.m.

Meanwhile, somewhere in the upper levels of Trump Tower:

10 p.m.

More glee from the Trump camp (see below) as the mood goes dark over in Javits Center, where Hillary's supporters are waiting to greet her in what they hoped would be — and are still desperately hoping will be — a historic reception. Oh, and the Mexican peso just fell as much as 8 percent against the cent.

10:25 p.m.

Those steadfast Trump supporters still roaming the streets of Midtown tonight are becoming more emboldened and picking up some numbers. A few dozen of them rallying near the Hilton now. "They said we couldn't do it!" one shouts triumphantly. "T-R-U-M-P, we will beat Hill-ar-y!" another chants. A short-lived rendition of "God Bless America" segues seamlessly into a repeating chant of "U-S-A! U-S-A!"

A guy in an army-green jacket with an American flag sticking out of his backpack says: "CNN sucks! CNN sucks! Anderson Cooper, suck my d---!"

And in a horrific contrast of ideals, a Trump merch stand has been erected directly in front of the "LOVE" statue at East 53rd Street and the Avenue of the Americas. Photo below.

11 p.m.

A man walking through Midtown dressed up as the Naked Cowboy predicts: "Donald Trump will win in a landslide. We will be saying 'President Donald Trump' by tomorrow. Thank God." (Video below.) The New York Times isn't too far behind, now putting Trump's chances of winning at 91 percent.

11:10 p.m.

The crowd of Trump supporters roaming Midtown has doubled in less than an hour, to around 60 people. A crowd of journalists has begun to form around them. "We got North Carolina!" one Trumpster screams. The rest cheer.

11:45 p.m.

Almost everyone inside Donald Trump's party is wearing a red, white or blue "Make America Great Again" hat. Some are waving them in the air. One woman is pumping a cheerleader's pom-pom. High-fives abound.

And the guest list is growing:

11:55 p.m.

It appears a crowd of hundreds, if not thousands, of silent mourners are showing up to Times Square to watch Election Day's final results roll in on a giant screen. It's one of the eeriest New York scenes we've seen in a long while.

12 a.m.

It appears Donald Trump may be almost as surprised as the rest of us tonight.

12:20 p.m.

Fox News is reporting that Trump is finally on his way over to the Hilton to deliver a speech to his supporters.

12:35 p.m.

Scratch that: Fox News is now reporting that Trump will wait to give a speech until the results are more securely in his favor or until Clinton's camp concedes.

In other news, we just listened to a Trump supporter try to start a "grab her in the pussy" chant at 53rd Street and 6th Avenue in Midtown, which has basically become Trump Corner at this point.

1:20 a.m.

This is the scene outside the Hilton right now, according to a couple local activists filming from across the street:

A Patch reporter just tried to speak with a Muslim man passing by. He wouldn't admit he voted for Clinton until our reporter did so himself. And even then, he wouldn't provide his name for a story, out of fear of retaliation.

2:15 a.m.

Hillary Clinton's campaign chairman, John Podesta, just addressed the crowd at the Javits Center without the candidate by his side. Podesta said the Clinton camp is not ready to concede until more votes are counted. "Let's get those votes counted, and let's bring this home," Podesta said.

2:18 a.m.

Trump is reportedly arriving now to his election night event at the Hilton. He's expected to speak once he arrives.

2:30 a.m.

As Trump prepares to speak to his supporters at the Hilton, things are reportedly getting out of hand on the street below.

2:45 a.m.

Donald Trump has been elected the 45th president of the United States. He is arriving now to his election night event at the Hilton, hours after it began, to give a victory speech.

2:55 a.m.

"I've just received a call from Secretary Clinton," Trump tells the crowd. "She congratulated me... and I congratulated her and her campaign on a very hard-fought campaign."

Trump appears to be taking the high road here, with lots of references to embracing America's diversity. It's time to "bind the wounds of divisions" between Democrats, Republicans and independents, he says, promising to "be president for all Americans — and this is so important to me."

As for foreign policy, Trump promises the U.S. "will get along with all other nations willing to get along with us."

3:05 a.m.

Trump thanks his parents, his relatives, his wife, his kids, his campaign team, his political cohorts (Rudy Giuliani, Mike Huckabee, Chris Christie, Ben Carson, etc.) and, of course, the Secret Service.

"This was tough," he says. "This was tough. This political stuff is nasty, and it's tough."

The campaign trail "has been what they call a historic event," Trump says. "But to be really historic, we have to do a great job. And I promise you I will not let you down — we will do a great job."

And his final words of the night: "I love this country. Thank you."

Lead photo by Gage Skidmore/Flickr