President Biden details phone call with Donald Trump after election win and promises a peaceful transfer of power

In a speech from the White House on Thursday, the president said Joe Biden said he has spoken to the newly elected president Donald Trump to congratulate him on his election victory and to ensure that there will be a peaceful transfer of power when he takes office on January 20.

“I assured him that I would direct my entire government to work with his team to ensure a peaceful and orderly transition. That is what the American people deserve,” Biden said.

On Tuesday, Trump handily won the presidency as Wisconsin pushed him over the 270-vote electoral threshold. Biden said in his speech that he also spoke to Harris after her defeat.

“Yesterday I also spoke with Vice President Harris,” he said. “She has been a partner and a public servant. She ran an inspiring campaign and everyone got to see something that I learned early on that I respected so much. Her character: she has a spine like a ramrod. She has a great character, a real character. She has put her heart and soul into it and she and her entire team can be proud of the campaign they have run.”

Biden also offered words of wisdom and comfort to those dissatisfied with the outcome of the election, and reassurance that democracy will remain intact under Trump’s presidency. During both Biden and Harris’ White House runs this election cycle, they said Trump represents a threat to democracy.

“The battle for America’s soul has been an ongoing debate since our founding and remains vitally important today,” Biden said. “I know for some people it’s a time for victory in stating the obvious. For others it is a time of loss. Campaigns are contests of competing visions. The country chooses one or the other. We accept the choice the country has made. I have often said, ‘You can’t love your country only when you win.’ You cannot love your neighbor unless you agree. Something I hope we can do, regardless of who you voted for, is see each other not as adversaries, but as fellow Americans.”

Biden also discussed the final weeks of his presidency, praising the recovering economy and, in vague terms, the work his administration has done over the past four years.

“The road ahead is clear, assuming we stick with it. There is so much we can do, and we will, depending on how the legislation is passed. And it is truly historic,” Biden told the nation. “You know, we’re leaving behind the strongest economy in the world. I know people are still hurting, but things are changing quickly. Together we have changed America for the better. Now we have 74 days to complete the term, our term – let’s make every day count. That is the responsibility we have to the American people.

For those heartbroken over Harris’ loss and Democrats no longer controlling the Senate and possibly the House of Representatives starting next year, Biden offered a platitude that he said came from his father.

“Setbacks are inevitable, but giving up is unforgivable,” the president said. “We all get knocked down, but the measure of our character, as my father would say, is how quickly we get back up.”