Biden to address nation after decisive Trump win
President Biden will address the nation Thursday following President-elect Trump’s victory in the 2024 presidential race.
The president’s remarks are slated for 11 a.m. EST in the Rose Garden at the White House. Vice President Harris is in Washington but is not expected to attend.
Harris on Wednesday conceded to Trump in remarks at Howard University, during which she encouraged a peaceful transfer of power.
The vice president said she spoke with Trump to congratulate him on his victory, adding that “a fundamental principle” is that Americans accept the results in an election and that principle “distinguishes democracy from monarchy and tyranny.”
Biden also called Trump on Wednesday to congratulate him and express his commitment to a smooth transition. The former president “looks forward” to meeting with Biden, according to his campaign.
Trump did not afford Biden a meeting after the 2020 election and also did not concede his own defeat. He spent the weeks after that election pushing false claims of widespread voter fraud.
His supporters stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, aiming to stop the certification of the results. Trump did not attend Biden’s inauguration.
When the president-elect won in 2016, then-President Obama invited him to meet at the White House to begin the transition process.
Until July, Biden was running against Trump in the 2024 race. He announced his reelection bid in April 2023 and campaigning on warning Americans about the threat to democracy that another Trump administration could bring.
The president then dropped out of the race after a pressure campaign from Democrats following a dismal debate performance and endorsed Harris.