(Gray News/AP) – President Joe Biden addressed the nation Thursday morning in his first appearance on camera in the aftermath of Donald Trump’s decisive victory over Kamala Harris.
“In a democracy, the will of the people always prevails,” he said near the beginning.
Biden said he had spoken with Trump and assured him that he would direct his administration to ensure a “peaceful and orderly transition,” because that’s what the people deserve.
Biden was subtly nodding to how Trump, in 2020, refused to accept he lost the election. Trump was reelected this week.
Biden spoke from the Rose Garden at the White House after Democrat Kamala Harris lost this week to Donald Trump, speaking to his supporters and Americans.
The president reiterated that the U.S. election system “is honest, it is fair, and it is transparent. And it can be trusted, win or lose.”
He closed by saying that defeat doesn’t mean one is defeated.
“America endures,” he said. “We’re going to be OK, but we need to stay engaged.”
He issued a statement shortly after Harris delivered her concession speech on Wednesday, praising Harris for running an “historic campaign” under “extraordinary circumstances.”
“She’s been a tremendous partner and public servant full of integrity, courage, and character,” Biden said.
Some high-ranking Democrats expressed deep frustration with Biden for failing to recognize earlier in the election cycle that he was not up to the challenge. The advisers spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to comment publicly.
Biden, 81, ended his reelection campaign in July, weeks after an abysmal debate performance sent his party into a spiral and raised questions about whether he still had the mental acuity and stamina to serve as a credible nominee.
The president bowed out on July 21 after getting not-so-subtle nudges from Democratic Party powers, including former President Barack Obama and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. He endorsed Harris and handed over his campaign operation to her.
Copyright 2024 Gray Local Media, Inc. All rights reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.