Final answer:
The 2016 U.S. presidential election was won by Donald Trump who won the electoral vote, while Hillary Clinton won the popular vote.
Step-by-step explanation:
The 2016 presidential election was won by Donald Trump, who won the electoral vote but not the popular vote. Despite most political polls predicting Hillary Clinton as the likely winner, it was Trump who secured a victory in the Electoral College. Clinton did, however, win the popular vote by nearly 2.9 million votes, but ultimately, it is the Electoral College that determines the presidency in the United States. While Hillary Clinton won the popular vote, Donald Trump secured the necessary electoral votes to become president. This result was unexpected, as political polls had predicted a victory for Hillary Clinton.