President Joe Biden called on Americans to ease political tensions following Donald Trump’s decisive election victory over Kamala Harris. In a conciliatory address from the White House on Thursday, Biden promised a peaceful transition of power.
In his solemn speech, Biden expressed hope that the election outcome would finally “put to rest” any doubts about the U.S. election system’s integrity, referencing Trump’s earlier refusal to concede his 2020 loss.
“Something I hope we can all do, regardless of who we supported, is to see each other as fellow Americans, not adversaries. Let’s lower the temperature,” Biden urged.
As Biden entered the Rose Garden, White House staff gave him a standing ovation.
Biden, 81, had stepped down from the 2024 race in July, passing the Democratic nomination to Vice President Harris. He shared that he had reached out to congratulate Trump and assure him of a “peaceful and orderly” transfer of power.
“On January 20, America will witness a peaceful transition of power,” said Biden, referencing Trump’s absence at his own 2020 inauguration