Trump during visit with campaign staff: ‘Winning is easy. Losing is never easy’

President Trump on Tuesday visited his campaign headquarters to thank his staff and express confidence about the outcome of the election, but he acknowledged that it would be tough for him to face a potential defeat.

“I’m not thinking about concession speech or acceptance speech yet,” Trump told reporters at the campaign’s Arlington, Va., office. “Hopefully we’ll be only doing one of those two. Winning is easy. Losing is never easy. Not for me it’s not.”

The president had a positive outlook on his chances against Democratic nominee Joe Biden, however, repeatedly citing the large crowds his rallies have drawn in recent days and predicting strong turnout in Arizona, Florida and Texas. 

Trump predicted it could be clear which candidate has won by the end of the night, “depending on the extent of victory.”

“We should be entitled to know who won on Nov. 3,” he added, reviving his long-standing grievance about votes being counted beyond Election Day despite it being a standard practice.

Trump has repeatedly complained about Pennsylvania in particular, railing against a Supreme Court decision that allows the Keystone State to accept ballots received by Nov. 6. The president baselessly claimed on Monday that the ruling will “induce violence,” and on Tuesday called it a “very dangerous decision.”

Chris Krebs, head of the Department of Homeland Security’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, urged Americans earlier Tuesday to be patient while votes are counted even beyond Election Day.

Trump has consistently trailed Biden in polling in the key swing states of Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania, and the two candidates have been neck and neck in Arizona, Florida, Georgia and North Carolina. Trump won all of those states four years ago.

Trump was surrounded at campaign headquarters by dozens of staffers from the campaign and White House who applauded as he entered and exited. Most wore masks, other than a few of the president’s closest advisers, including press secretary Kayleigh McEnany, senior adviser Jared Kushner and chief of staff Mark Meadows.

The president is expected to spend the remainder of the day at the White House, and he will watch returns at a party in the East Room. Hundreds of guests were invited to attend, despite the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

Asked what his message would be to Americans who did not vote for him should he win, Trump said: “Everybody should come together, and I think success brings us together.”