US Vice President Kamala Harris on Wednesday called Donald Trump to congratulate him on winning the 2024 presidential election, a senior aide said, after a bitter and contentious race.
Harris, a Democrat, discussed with Mr Trump the peaceful transfer of power and the importance of being president for all Americans, the aide said, confirming that Ms Harris would deliver remarks in Washington later today.
During a bitter campaign, the Democratic presidential nominee had described Mr Trump as an unparalleled threat to democracy, but his campaign ultimately disappointed voters.
She will deliver her concession speech in Washington today (2.30 am IST).
Mr Trump never gave up four years ago when his supporters stormed the US Capitol. Despite criminal convictions, two impeachments during his last term in office, and warnings from his former chief of staff that he was a “fascist”, he returned to the White House with a wider margin than before.
At 78, Mr Trump will be the oldest sitting president to attend his inauguration on January 20. If Ms Harris had won, she would have been the first female US president. “This is a political victory the likes of which our country has never seen before,” Mr Trump said in his victory speech today.
Despite concerns in some parts of the world about his “America First” approach, global leaders immediately pledged to work with Mr Trump. Among the countries most concerned would be Ukraine, which was invaded by Russia in 2022.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi was among the first leaders to call Mr Trump to congratulate him. PM said, “Had a very good conversation with my friend President Donald Trump and congratulated him on his great victory. Once again to further strengthen India-US relations in technology, defence, energy, space and many other areas Looking forward to working together.” Modi said in a post on X.
Had a great conversation with my friend the President @realdonaldtrumpCongratulated him on his wonderful victory. Look forward to working together once again to further strengthen India-US relations in technology, defence, energy, space and many other areas.
-Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) 6 November 2024
Mr Trump and Vice President-elect JD Vance have mocked billions of dollars of US aid to Ukraine under outgoing President Joe Biden, with their aides looking to force Ukraine to make concessions to end the war.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky congratulated Trump and said he hoped the new US leader would help Ukraine find a “just peace”.
Ms Harris entered the race in July after the aging-looking Biden dropped out. He ran a centrist campaign that highlighted Mr Trump’s inflammatory messaging and use of racist and sexist terms. But his apocalyptic warnings about immigration struck a chord among voters battered by a post-Covid economy and eager for change after the Biden years.
Exit polls showed that Hispanic and black Americans, seen as key voting blocks for Harris, moved in large numbers toward Mr. Trump, who won the majority among Latino men.
Mr Trump is the first US president to win a second consecutive term in more than a century, and the only person to be elected president while serving a convicted felon – he faces sentencing in a New York court for fraud in November. 26.
He has also been a longtime skeptic about climate change, which is expected to again reduce America’s global commitments, although one of his top campaign surrogates was fellow billionaire Elon Musk, owner of electric vehicle maker Tesla.
With inputs from AFP
