Biden will address the US after congratulating Trump on election win
Joe Biden has invited Donald Trump to meet with him the White House and congratulated the returning President, as ITV News' Will Tullis reports.
US President Joe Biden will address the US after delivering a congratulatory phone call to Donald Trump following his election win.
Trump, who is set to serve a second term in office, has been invited by Biden to a meeting at the Oval Office to return the keys to the man he ousted from the White House four years ago.
No date has been announced yet but Steven Cheung, Trump’s communications director, said it would “take place shortly.” Cheung said Trump “very much appreciated” Biden’s congratulatory call on Wednesday.
Biden will address the nation on Thursday at 11 am EST (4pm GMT), to deliver his first on-camera remarks in the aftermath of Trump’s decisive victory over Kamala Harris.
On Wednesday, in a White House-issued statement, Biden praised Harris as “a tremendous partner and public servant full of integrity, courage, and character.”
The president also noted that Harris entered the campaign under “extraordinary circumstances,” a nod to his dropping out of the race 108 days before Election Day amid growing pressure from within his party after his cataclysmic debate performance against Trump.
Biden added that Harris “stepped up and led a historic campaign that embodied what’s possible when guided by a strong moral compass and a clear vision for a nation that is more free, more just, and full of more opportunities for all Americans.”
Trump's 2024 opponent also called him to concede the race and to congratulate him.
Watch Kamala Harris make concession speech after crushing election defeat
Trump will be sworn in at an inauguration ceremony on January 20, 2025. It will come after the new US Congress meets on January 6 to count out electoral college votes formally and confirm the new president.
His momentous comeback after his loss to Biden four years ago comes after defying two assassination attempts, two presidential impeachments, his criminal conviction and many other criminal charges.
It also follows his attempt to overturn the 2020 election to stay in office.
On Wednesday, Trump declared it a "magnificent victory" when addressing supporters at a watch party in Florida.
He was joined by his family and JD Vance - who will become the vice president - as he thanked the crowd, describing this as "the greatest political movement in all time".
Speaking to his supporters, he said: "This is a magnificent victory for the American people that will allow us to make America great again."
He said he was going to "help our country heal" and "fix everything" about the United States.
The Trump administration is expected to upend most of the policies of outgoing President Biden.
The upcoming 47th president of the United States added: "We’re going to make our country better than it ever has been.
"I said that many people have told me that God spared my life for a reason.
"And that reason was to save our country and to restore America to greatness. And now we are going to fulfil that mission together. We’re going to fulfil that mission."
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