Biden, Harris congratulate Trump, offer ‘smooth transition’

New York: President Joe Biden has congratulated his predecessor Donald Trump on his election and offered to work for a “smooth transition”. The White House said in a terse statement that "President Biden expressed his commitment to ensuring a smooth transition and emphasised the importance of working to bring the country together”.

Trump’s spokesperson Steven Cheung acknowledged the call and said, “President Trump looks forward to the meeting, which will take place shortly, and very much appreciated the call”. That was a normal courtesy that Trump, stewing from his defeat, had not extended Biden when he was elected in 2020 and stayed away from his inauguration.

US Vice-President Kamala Harris said she had spoken to President-elect Donald Trump to congratulate him and also assure him "we will engage in a peaceful transfer of power". Harris, who lost comprehensively to Trump, also said in a delayed concession speech from Howard University, her alma mater in Washington DC that a fundamental principle of American democracy is that when we lose an election, we accept the results.

“That principle, as much as any other, distinguishes democracy from monarchy or tyranny, and anyone who seeks public trust must honour it. At the same time, in our nation, we owe loyalty not to a President or a party but to the Constitution of the US,” she mentioned.

The Trump campaign acknowledged Harris's phone call in a statement. The two leaders "spoke by phone earlier today where she congratulated him on his historic victory," Cheung said. "President Trump acknowledged Vice-President Harris on her strength, professionalism, and tenacity throughout the campaign, and both leaders agreed on the importance of unifying the country."

In a 12-minute speech, Harris sought to leave an uplifting message. "The outcome of this election is not what we wanted, not what we fought for, not what we voted for, but hear me when I say, hear me when I say, the light of America's promise will always burn bright, as long as we never give up and as long as we keep fighting."

The outgoing Vice-President sought to assure supporters, especially the young men and women in the audience, that although they may be despondent in defeat they needed to look for reasons to hope.

Meanwhile, Nikki Haley, who had served on his cabinet and waged a long battle against him for the party’s nomination, said Trump’s comeback victory “defied gravity”. “Throughout the campaign, he let the American people know exactly where he stood and they gave him a second term”, she said in an X post.