US President Joe Biden will address the nation on Thursday, promising a peaceful transition of power to Donald Trump following his political rival’s stunning election victory over Kamala Harris.
In what promises to be an agonising moment for Biden, he will speak in the White House Rose Garden at 11 a.m. (1600 GMT) to “discuss the election results and the transition” to Trump’s second term.
The 81-year-old dropped out of the contest against Trump in July, handing the Democratic nomination to Vice President Harris—but his reputation is now poised to be shattered by the Republican’s spectacular comeback.
Biden, on the other hand, is determined to make a striking contrast with Trump, whose inability to accept his own 2020 election defeat resulted in the violent January 6, 2021, attack on the US Capitol by Trump supporters.
Trump declined to attend Biden’s inauguration, falsely citing voter fraud, and did not allow for a dignified transition.
The White House reported that Biden spoke with Trump on Wednesday and “expressed his commitment to ensuring a smooth transition and emphasised the importance of working to bring the country together.”
Despite their long-standing antipathy, Biden is assuming a presidential tone by contacting Trump and inviting him to the White House.
Trump campaign spokesman Steven Cheung stated that Trump “looks forward to the meeting, which will take place shortly, and very much appreciated the call.”
It would be the first time they had met since Biden’s debate performance against Trump in June that forced him out of the race.
Following Trump’s landslide victory, the political environment in the United States and around the world has shifted dramatically.
Exit surveys suggested that US voters supported Trump’s harsh right-wing policies while rejecting Biden and Harris’s records, particularly on the economy and inflation.
World leaders quickly pledged to collaborate with Trump, despite widespread misgivings about his nationalist “America First” policy and threats to impose massive tariffs on foreign imports.
