Final answer:
To win the U.S. presidential election, a candidate must secure at least 270 Electoral College votes, which may come from any combination of states, regardless of the total number of states won.
Step-by-step explanation:
The minimum amount of states needed to win the presidential election is not fixed and depends on the combination of states that gives a candidate at least 270 Electoral College votes, which is more than half of the total 538 votes. Each state has a certain number of electoral votes based on its congressional delegation, with a minimum of three electoral votes for states with the smallest population, such as North and South Dakota. The winner-take-all system employed by most states means that it is possible for a candidate to win just a handful of highly populated states, like California, Texas, and New York, and a few others, to reach this threshold. However, it's essential to note that winning the most electoral votes overall is the key, not just the number of states.