Former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani, Donald Trumps friend and adviser, said in an interview early Tuesday evening that he had just left a small gathering with the Republican nominee at Trump Tower. Trump, he said, was in his apartment "watching everything even though I am telling him not to."

According to the Washington Post, Giuliani said Trump was drinking Diet Coke as he eyed the television and the initial returns out of several states. At 6 pm, Trump had not yet eaten dinner.

"He is calm. We are all cautiously optimistic," Giuliani said when asked to describe the mood at Trump's home. "We think its going to be very, very close. We know there is a populism across the country that's powerful and he has been lifted by it."

On George W Bush and others not voting for Trump, Giuliani said he and others close to Trump shrugged off the reports. "It doesnt hurt at this point. Everybody knew that's where they were."