U.S. President Joe Biden addressed the nation on Thursday, making his first public remarks following Donald Trump’s election victory over Kamala Harris, Biden’s Vice President and former presidential rival.
“On January 20, we will have a peaceful transfer of power,” Biden said in the Rose Garden of the White House. “We have 74 days to go. Let’s make every day count. Setbacks are unavoidable. But giving up is unforgivable.”
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“In a democracy, the will of the people always prevails,” Biden added in reference to Trump’s resounding win at the ballot box.
The outgoing president also called on citizens to “bring down” the temperature after a fiercely fought race between Democrats and Republicans.
“You can’t love your country only when you win. You can’t love your neighbour only when you agree. Something to hope we can do, no matter who you voted for, is see each other not as adversaries, but as fellow Americans.”
“I also hope we can lay to rest a question about the integrity of the American electoral system. It is honest, it is fair and it is transparent. It can be trusted, win or lose.”
The 81-year-old Biden withdrew from the presidential race in July, passing the Democratic nomination to Vice President Harris.
However, he remains intent on highlighting a clear contrast with Trump, whose refusal to concede his 2020 election loss led to the January 6, 2021, Capitol attack by his supporters.
The White House announced that Biden spoke with Trump on Wednesday, extending an invitation for an upcoming meeting at the White House. Trump campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung confirmed that Trump “looks forward to the meeting, which will take place soon.”
This will mark their first encounter since Biden’s June debate with Trump, after which Biden decided to withdraw from the race. Meanwhile, world leaders have pledged to work with Trump despite apprehensions about his “America First” stance and his promises of steep tariffs on foreign imports.
In a message to Trump, Chinese President Xi Jinping emphasized the need for the two global powers to “get along,” advocating for “stable” relations between the nations.
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