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Election 2024
NPR Staff, NPR
Updated:

President Biden urges Americans to 'bring down the temperature'

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President Joe Biden promised a peaceful transfer of power when his administration ends in January, as he hands off the White House to his former opponent, President-elect Donald Trump.

Biden spoke from the Rose Garden at the White House Thursday morning, following his party’s stinging defeat in Tuesday’s election, with his family and administration officials in the audience.

“Yesterday, I spoke with President-elect Trump, congratulated him on his victory, and I assured him I'd direct my entire administration to work with his team to ensure a peaceful and orderly transition,” Biden said. “That's what the American people deserve.”

The Trump campaign said a meeting between the president-elect and Biden will take place at the White House soon.

In his brief remarks, Biden also seemed to try to quell any future questions and unfounded claims about the integrity of the election system in the country.

“I also hope we can lay to rest the question about the integrity of the American electoral system,” Biden said. “It is honest, it is fair and it is transparent and it can be trusted, win or lose.”

Biden, who dropped out of the presidential race in July and endorsed Vice President Harris, complimented heron her “inspiring” campaign.

“She and her entire team should be proud of the campaign they ran,” Biden said, noting that he spoke to Harris yesterday.

When Biden ran for president four years ago, he promised to be a leader who united the country and “restore the soul” of the nation. Today, he made a plea for unity, and once again asked the country to “bring down the temperature” – the same ask he made in July, after the first assassination attempt against Trump.

“I've said many times: You can't love your country only when you win,” Biden said. “You can't love your neighbor only when you agree. Something I hope we can do, no matter who you voted for, is to see each other not as adversaries but as fellow Americans.”

The president acknowledged the disappointment of the election results, calling it a setback. But he said “giving up is unforgivable.”

“You're hurting. I hear you and I see you, but don't forget – don't forget all that we accomplished. It's been a historic presidency, not because I'm president, because of what we've done, what you've done,” he said. “We've changed America for the better.”

He said the successes of his administration will be felt years down the road, and he said the administration was leaving behind the strongest economy in the world.

Biden said there were still 74 days left of his administration to keep working for the country.

“Let's make every day count. That's the responsibility we have to the American people,” he said.

Copyright 2024, NPR