New Delhi:
US Vice President Kamala Harris conceded the presidential election to Donald Trump after an acrimonious, turbulent and polarising marketing campaign. In her speech, the Democratic chief mentioned although she has conceded the election, she has not conceded “the battle that fuelled this marketing campaign.”
“While I concede the election, I don’t concede the battle that fuelled this marketing campaign. Fight for freedom, alternative, dignity for all individuals,” Ms Harris mentioned in a speech that lasted lower than quarter-hour.
Her supporters cheered, despite the fact that she admitted it was painful to lose. She advised them to “preserve combating”.
“… I’ll shut with this. Only when it’s darkish sufficient, are you able to see the celebrities. I do know many individuals really feel we’re coming into a darkish time… Let us fill the sky with the sunshine of billions and billions of stars, the sunshine of reality, optimism and repair,” she mentioned.
“The final result of this election isn’t what we wished, not what we fought for, not what we voted for, however hear me after I say that the sunshine of America’s promise will at all times burn shiny so long as we by no means surrender and so long as we preserve combating,” she advised supporters.
“We should settle for the outcomes of this election. Earlier in the present day, I spoke with President-elect Trump and congratulated him on his victory,” Ms Harris advised supporters within the concession speech at her alma mater Howard University in Washington.
“I additionally advised him that we’ll assist him and his staff with their transition, and that we’ll interact in a peaceable switch of energy,” she mentioned.
Mr Trump’s victory, following one of the vital hostile campaigns in fashionable US historical past, was all of the extra outstanding given an unprecedented prison conviction, a near-miss assassination try, and warnings from a former chief of employees that he’s a “fascist.”
Mr Trump had by no means conceded defeat 4 years in the past when his supporters ransacked the US Capitol. He returned to the White House with wider margins than earlier than regardless of a prison conviction, two impeachments whereas final in workplace and warnings from his former chief of employees that he was a “fascist.”
At 78, Mr Trump would be the oldest President throughout his inauguration scheduled on January 20. Had Ms Harris received, she would have been the primary girl president of the US. “It’s a political victory that our nation has by no means seen earlier than,” Mr Trump mentioned earlier in the present day in his victory speech.
Global leaders swiftly pledged to work with Mr Trump, regardless of considerations in some elements of the world about his “America First” method. Among essentially the most anxious nations might be Ukraine, which Russia invaded in 2022.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi was among the many first leaders who dialled Mr Trump to congratulate him. “Had a fantastic dialog with my buddy, President Donald Trump, congratulating him on his spectacular victory. Looking ahead to working intently collectively as soon as once more to additional strengthen India-US relations throughout expertise, defence, power, area and a number of other different sectors,” PM Modi mentioned in a put up on X.
Mr Trump and Vice President-elect JD Vance have scoffed on the billions of {dollars} in US help to Ukraine beneath outgoing President Joe Biden, with their aides musing about forcing Ukraine to make concessions to finish the conflict.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky congratulated Trump and mentioned he hoped the brand new US chief would assist Ukraine discover a “simply peace.”
Ms Harris entered the race in July after the visibly ageing Biden dropped out. She ran a centrist marketing campaign that highlighted Mr Trump’s inflammatory messaging and use of racist and sexist tropes. But his apocalyptic warnings about immigration discovered their mark with voters battered by the post-Covid economic system and looking forward to change after the Biden years.