Biden urges Americans to ‘accept the choice the country made’ by electing Trump

WASHINGTON – President Joe Biden, addressing the nation after Donald Trump’s decisive victory over Vice President Kamala Harris, on Thursday urged Americans to “accept the choice the country made” while urging his supporters to “get back up.”

“We accept the choice the country made,” he said in brief remarks from the White House Rose Garden. “I have said many times that you cannot only love your country when you win. You cannot only love your neighbor when you agree.”

Biden’s speech comes exactly four years after he was declared the winner of the 2020 election against Trump, who has spent the years since insisting those results were rigged and trying to have them overturned.

“I will do my duty as president: I will fulfill my oath and I will honor the Constitution. On January 20, we will have a peaceful transfer of power here in America,” Biden said Thursday after encouraging voters across the political spectrum to “lower the temperature.”

Biden acknowledged that the results of his administration are not yet being felt by the American people and suggested that it will take years to feel the effects. He said the legislation he signed into law is only now “really kicking in,” adding that $1 trillion in infrastructure work will be done and will change the lives of people in rural areas and other places experiencing hardship.

“It takes time to get it done,” he said, adding that he will leave behind “the strongest economy in the world.”

He also urged Americans disappointed by Harris’ loss not to give up.

“Setbacks are inevitable, but giving up is unforgivable. We all get knocked down, but the measure of our character, as my father would say, is how quickly we get back up. Remember, a setback doesn’t mean we’re defeated .” Biden said. “We lost this battle. The America of your dreams calls upon you to rise again.”

Trump’s victory was a brutal blow to Democrats who had hoped to elect Harris as the first female president. Instead, Trump expanded his base and captured several battleground states that Biden flipped in 2020: Pennsylvania, Georgia, Michigan and Wisconsin.

Harris conceded to Trump by phone Wednesday morning and addressed her supporters in remarks at Howard University, her alma mater, later in the day.

“Earlier today I spoke with President-elect Trump and congratulated him on his victory. I also told him that we will assist him and his team in their transition and that we will engage in a peaceful transfer of power,” she said.

She added: “A fundamental principle of American democracy is that when we lose an election, we accept the results.”

Biden also called Trump and congratulated him on the victory.

“President Biden expressed his commitment to ensuring a smooth transition and emphasized the importance of working to bring the country together,” the White House said. “He also invited President-elect Trump to meet with him at the White House. Staff will coordinate a specific date in the near future.”