Trump is joined by stunning Melania at his pre-inauguration dinner and jokes that if it rains today 'people will know it's my real hair'

Donald Trump was joined by his wife Melania for the final time as president-elect on Thursday night at a black tie dinner where he spoke excitedly about his looming inauguration.

The 70-year-old was introduced to the stage at Union Station in Washington DC by Vice President-elect Mike Pence shortly before 9pm after a busy day of events in the capital.

With Melania, 46, on his arm in a glittering, gold gown designed by Reem Acra, Trump was triumphant as he took the microphone for a final speech before he becomes the 45th president.

Between thank yous to his most trusted staff and jibes at Hillary Clinton, he spoke ahead to Friday's swearing in ceremony, joking that if it rains as predicted, at least the taunts about his gravity-defying hair might stop.

'It may rain, it may not rain. I don't care. It doesn't matter. If it really pours that's OK because people will realize it's my real hair. It might be a mess but they're gonna see it's my real hair,' he said, winning laughs from the star-studded audience.
Among the many well-heeled guests was Caitlyn Jenner, Jackie Evancho, Wendi Deng and a handful of business titans including members of the Kraft family.

House Speaker Paul Ryan turned out with his wife, Janna, and Juanita Broaddrick and Paula Jones, two of a handful of women who have accused Bill Clinton of rape, were also there.

During his speech, Trump thanked donors and members of his family and celebrated himself as a the hardest working candidate to have ever run for office.

The start of his speech was plagued with microphone difficulties but the president elect's message was not lost in the glitch.

'That was some big victory, some victory,' he said, thanking supporters and party members who had followed him since the start of his campaign.

Casting his mind back to November's election result, he spoke of the country's changing political map.

'That was incredible. More impressive, there was a map a couple of days after the election, and it showed the red counties and the blue counties. And the entire country, practically, other than the little points, was red,' Trump said.