Trump calls for Americans to 'heal divisions' in Thanksgiving video

Donald Trump appears in a Thanksgiving video message. Credit: YouTube/Transition 2017

Donald Trump has released a Thanksgiving message in which he asked Americans to put aside their differences and hoped that the country could "begin to heal our divisions".

Quoting President Lincoln who called the first Thanksgiving, Mr Trump asked for the US to "speak with 'one voice and one heart'" as it emerges from "a long and bruising political campaign".

The President-Elect told viewers of the video: "We have before us the chance now to make history together to bring real change to Washington, real safety to our cities, and real prosperity to our communities, including our inner cities... But to succeed, we must enlist the effort of our entire nation".

Looking ahead the 70-year-old said: "Now begins a great national campaign to rebuild our country and to restore the full promise of America for all of our people."

Mr Trump opened his speech by reminding viewers "we are very blessed to call this nation our home", and ended it telling them to "give thanks for what we have".