Will ensure peaceful, orderly transition: Joe Biden to Donald Trump

NEW DELHI: US President Joe Biden on Thursday assured Donald Trump that his administration will work with him to ensure a peaceful and orderly transition. He also said that Kamala Harris and her team should be proud of the campaign they ran.

Donald Trump on Wednesday won the US presidential election. He will become the 47th President of the United States. He edged out Kamala Harris even though poll pundits predicted her victory.

"For over 200 years, America has carried out the greatest experiment in self-government in the history of the world. The people vote and choose their own leaders, and they do it peacefully. In a democracy, the will of the people always prevails. Yesterday, I spoke with President-elect Trump to congratulate him on his victory.

I assured him that I would direct my entire administration to work with his team to ensure a peaceful and orderly transition. That's what the American people deserve. Yesterday, I also spoke with Vice President Harris. She's been a partner and a public servant. She gave her whole heart and effort, and she and her entire team should be proud of the campaign they ran. We accept the choice the country made," he said.

Joe Biden also said that the US electoral system is honest, fair and transparent.

"I also hope we can lay to rest the question about the integrity of the American electoral system. It is honest, it is fair, and it is transparent. It can be trusted, win or lose...On January 20th, we'll have a peaceful transfer of power here in America. To all our incredible staff, supporters, cabinet members, all the people who have been hanging out with me for the last four years...It's been a historic presidency," he added.

In 2020, Donald Trump refused to accept defeat, sparking a violent insurrection at the U.S. Capitol.

Trump cleared the 270 electoral votes needed to clinch the presidency. He won Michigan on Wednesday afternoon, sweeping the “blue wall” along with Pennsylvania — the one-time Democrat-leaning, swing states that all went for Trump in 2016 before flipping to President Joe Biden in 2020.

On Wednesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had a telephonic conversation with Trump and warmly congratulated him on his "re-election as the president of the United States of America.

The two leaders "reaffirmed their commitment" to working together to further strengthen bilateral ties across a range of sectors, including, technology, defence, energy, and space, the MEA said earlier in the day.

"Our Prime Minister spoke to President Trump yesterday and before that he also shared a post on X congratulating him on his historic election victory," MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said.

"As a fellow democracy, India celebrates this expression of people's mandate in the US. The prime minister conveyed to the president-elect that we look forward to working very closely as he has done with him earlier as well, ..and (work) closely to further strengthen India-US comprehensive global and strategic partnership," he added.