President Joe Biden delivered remarks to the nation Thursday in what was his first appearance on camera following Donald Trump’s decisive victory over Kamala Harris.
“In a democracy, the will of the people always prevails,” he said near the beginning.
Biden said he had spoken with Trump and assured him that he would direct his administration to ensure a “peaceful and orderly transition,” because that’s what the people deserve. Biden was subtly nodding to how Trump, in 2020, refused to accept he lost the election. Trump was reelected this week.
Biden spoke from the Rose Garden at the White House after Democrat Kamala Harris lost this week to Donald Trump, speaking to his supporters and Americans.
The president reiterated that the U.S. election system “is honest, it is fair, and it is transparent. And it can be trusted, win or lose.”
He closed by saying that defeat doesn't mean one is defeated.
“America endures,” he said. “We’re going to be ok, but we need to stay engaged.”
Illinois Election 2024
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President Joe Biden is scheduled to address the nation for the first time since Donald Trump ’s decisive victory over Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election this week.
Biden is scheduled to deliver a Rose Garden address at 10 a.m. CT, and said in a post on X that he would be discussing the election results and transition.
On Wednesday, the White House announced that Biden had spoken to the president-elect and expressed his commitment to ensuring a smooth transition, while emphasizing the importance of working to bring the country together. Biden invited the man he ousted from the White House four years ago to an Oval Office meeting to prepare to return the keys.
“President Trump looks forward to the meeting, which will take place shortly, and very much appreciated the call,” said Trump campaign communications director Steven Cheung.
Biden also called Harris to salute her for her campaign. The vice president reiterated the need for a peaceful transition of power in her own concession speech Wednesday.
"Earlier today, I spoke with President-elect Trump and congratulated him on his victory. I also told him that we will help him and his team with their transition and that we will engage in a peaceful transfer of power," she told an emotional crowd. "A fundamental principle of American democracy is that when we lose an election we accept the results."
Trump’s impending return to the White House means he’ll want to stand up an entirely new administration from the one that served under Biden. His team is also pledging that the second won’t look much like the first one Trump established after his 2016 victory.
The president-elect now has a 75-day transition period to build out his team before Inauguration Day arrives on Jan. 20.
What to know about Biden's address:
What time is Biden speaking?
Biden is scheduled to speak 10 a.m. CT.
Where is Biden's address?
Biden will be addressing the nation from the Rose Garden, a garden located along the White House's West Terrace and West Wing near the Oval Office and the Cabinet Room.
How to watch live
NBC 5 will carry the address in a live special report as it begins. The speech can be streamed live via the NBC 5 Chicago 24/7 Streaming Channel, in the player above or on television.
