When it comes to his inauguration, Donald Trump said he recently met with TV producer Mark Burnett, who urged him to plan an extravagant celebration with events in Washington and New York. | Getty Trump thrills donors with tales of election night The president-elect poked fun at people in the audience who hadn’t supported him during the campaign and praised Obama. But he had harsh words for the media.

President-elect Donald Trump treated more than 800 donors to a play-by-play of election-night drama at a New York breakfast fundraiser on Wednesday, according to two people who attended the event.

Trump’s recounting of his emotions on Nov. 8 took up the bulk of his remarks at the restaurant Cipriani, with one attendee relaying that Trump said he expected to lose and take a vacation with his wife, Melania.


Trump said he would name his secretary of state next week, but didn’t say who he’s considering or provide other details. He also singled out Ronna Romney, the Michigan GOP chair and a niece of former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, saying she’d get something big. She’s seen as a possible choice to lead the Republican National Committee.

The president-elect reprised his criticism of Boeing, saying his government would root out excessive expenses such as the costly Air Force One replacement contract. He joked that people in the room, such as real estate executives at a nearby table, could have struck a better deal.

Trump also said some regulations are necessary but he would stop the overreach of the last few years.

And he praised Apple CEO Tim Cook but said he told him to build his next factory in the U.S.

When it comes to his inauguration, Trump said he recently met with TV producer Mark Burnett, who urged him to plan an extravagant celebration with events in Washington and New York.

Overall, the president-elect appeared more relaxed than in previous gatherings, one of the people there said. He poked fun at people in the audience who hadn’t supported him during the campaign, saying he saw millions of people on the campaign trail but not many of the people in the room.

Trump said he even converted one opponent to a $10 million donor.

"They said Never Trump, now they’re Only Trump," he bragged to laughter and applause, according to a recording of part of the remarks.

He also effusively praised President Barack Obama, but had harsh words for the media.

“I got Jeff Zucker his job and they spent 18 months trashing me!” Trump said, according to a source in the room, referring to the president of CNN.

Trump’s choice for chief of staff, Reince Priebus, also spoke, and joked that Trump would be such a good president his face would one day be on the $20 bill.

Lobbyists in the crowd included Ed Hill of Bank of America, Ozzie Palomo of Public Sphere, Rob O’Connor of Goldman Sachs, Smitty Davis of Akin Gump, Tim Costa of Buchanan Ingersoll, David Tamasi of Rasky Baerlein, Rick Hohlt of Hohlt Strategies, Robert Cresanti of the International Franchise Association, Ashley Davis of West Front Strategies, Kristen Gullott of Dogwood Strategies, B.R. McConnon of DDC Public Affairs, Geoff Verhoff from Akin Gump, and Nat Wienecke of Property Casualty Insurers Association of America.

Also attending were Richard Hunt of the Consumer Bankers Association, Loretta Greene of Greene Strategy, FirstService Brands President & CEO Charlie Chase, SportClips founder & CEO Gordon Logan and his son, JaniKing President & CEO Jerry Crawford, Dairy Queen franchisee William C. Hall, and Emily Lampkin of the Lampkin Group.