Biden promises a peaceful handover to Trump after the 2024 elections

President Joe Biden sought to calm defeated Democrats on Thursday after Donald Trump’s landslide election victory, saying “setbacks are inevitable” and conceding that the resounding Republican result can be trusted.

“Setbacks are inevitable, but giving up is unforgivable,” Biden said in his first public comments since Election Day. “We all get knocked down, but the measure of our character, as my father would say, is how quickly we get back up.”

The president also acknowledged the legitimacy of the election results — broadly compared to the hotly contested election he won in 2020 — and praised “the integrity of the American electoral system.”

“It is fair, honest and transparent,” Biden said, “and it can be trusted whether you win or lose.”

Biden also reiterated his administration’s work during the speech from the White House Rose Garden.

“Much of the work we’ve done is already being felt by the American people,” he said, suggesting the majority — including more than $1 trillion in infrastructure spending — will be felt over the next decade. “We have passed legislation that is only now really coming into effect.”

Biden also praised Vice President Kamala Harris, saying, “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 backbone like a ramrod and she has a great character, a real character… she has given all her heart and effort. She and her entire team can be proud of the campaign they have run.”

He also said he spoke with Trump on Wednesday, after the race was officially called.

“Yesterday, I spoke with President-elect Trump to congratulate him on his victory, and I assured him that I would direct my entire administration to work with his team to ensure a peaceful and orderly transition,” Biden concluded. “That’s what the American people deserve.”