President Joe Biden has called Donald Trump to congratulate him on his historic win over Kamala Harris and invited him to the White House. The 81-year-old president extended the olive branch to the president-elect a week after calling his supporters "garbage" and just hours after Trump was confirmed as his successor.
The White House announced on Wednesday night that Biden and Trump spoke on the phone on Wednesday afternoon, where Biden stressed the need for unity in the country and a "smooth transition" of power. The vice president also struck a similar note when she called the 78-year-old to officially concede after Trump comfortably swept most of the swing states.
Courtesy Call
During the campaign, Trump and Biden traded highly personal attacks, with Trump criticizing Biden's health and Biden remarking that Trump was the kind of person he'd want to "smack on the a**."
Biden announced that he plans to attend Trump's inauguration, contrasting with the president-elect's decision to skip Biden's in 2020, opting instead to head directly to Mar-a-Lago.
Meanwhile, Harris had a cautionary message for the president-elect, offering him some pointed advice even as she congratulated him. "She discussed the importance of a peaceful transfer of power and being a president for all Americans," a senior Harris aide said.
Throughout her campaign, Harris pledged to be a president "for all Americans."
She delivered her concession speech to the nation from Howard University on Wednesday night, nearly 12 hours after her Republican opponent was declared the winner. Trump, meanwhile, spent the day at his Mar-a-Lago residence.
Change of Guard
The calls followed Trump's victory announcement, which left Democrats stunned and disappointed. Harris's concession call, confirmed shortly before 2 p.m. ET, came after Michigan was awarded to the president-elect, marking the third state in the crucial "blue wall" that ultimately decided the election.
Trump's team confirmed the call, noting that the president-elect acknowledged Harris's "professionalism" and "determination." "President Donald J. Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris spoke by phone earlier today where she congratulated him on his historic victory," Trump communications director Steven Cheung said in a statement.
"President Trump acknowledged Vice President Harris on her strength, professionalism, and tenacity throughout the campaign, and both leaders agreed on the importance of unifying the country."
Trump now holds 292 electoral votes, while Harris has 224, with 270 needed to secure the presidency.
Harris is set to perform worse than Hillary Clinton did in the 2016 election and could end up with the worst Electoral College result for a Democrat since the 1988 race.
Democrats had hoped the "blue wall" of states would help Harris win the White House, but Trump claimed victories in Michigan, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania.
