Biden calls for healing divides, vows peaceful transfer to Trump

US President praised Harris, who was not in attendance, saying she showed great character

President Joe Biden expressed hope Americans can "lower the temperature" and reaffirm their faith in the election system after a contentious campaign that saw Republican President-elect Donald Trump secure a sweeping victory.

The president said he would do his part by helping peacefully transfer power to Trump as he spoke from the Rose Garden on Thursday, his first public remarks since Trump defeated Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris.

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

"I hope we can do, no matter who you voted for, to see each other, not as adversaries, but as fellow Americans, bring down the temperature. 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. And it can be trusted, win or lose," he added.

The address on Thursday also offered Biden an opportunity to defend his own record and legacy, in an election which highlighted a disenchanted electorate, starkly split over the economy, immigration, LGBTQ rights and abortion. Trump pulled off a commanding victory over Harris "" growing support among multiple blocs and in several regions of the country, including Democratic strongholds.

"Campaigns are contests of competing visions. The country chooses one or the other. We accept the choice the country made," Biden said. "I've said many times, you can't love your country only when you win. You can't love your neighbor only when you agree."

Harris' campaign was ultimately unable to overcome strong voter disapproval of how Biden handled, in particular, the high inflation which strained household budgets and the migrant surge across the US-Mexico border.

Throughout her campaign, she struggled with how to distance herself from the unpopular president and buck the anti-incumbency tendencies of post-pandemic voters globally. Her campaign kept its distance from Biden, who largely campaigned on his own.

Biden praised Harris, who was not in attendance, saying she showed "great character."

"She gave her whole heart, effort, and she and her entire team should be proud of the campaign they ran," the president said.

The vice president only entered the race after Biden withdrew from the contest in late July, becoming the first president in more than a half century to forgo seeking reelection. Biden yielded to pressure from fellow Democrats who believed the party would lose the White House and both chambers of Congress with the oldest US president in history, 81, atop its ticket, after he delivered a devastatingly poor debate performance.

Still, Republicans have managed to retake the White House and Senate and Democratic hopes of controlling the US House are fading. The losses by Harris and congressional Democrats threaten Biden's own one-term legacy, with Republicans vowing to undo many of his signature initiatives, such as parts of the electric vehicle mandate, and espousing skepticism over the international alliances the Democratic president has sought to bolster.

Biden has touted his support for Ukraine in its fight to repel Russia's invasion in the face of Republican criticism. Trump has said he will broker a deal between Ukraine and Russia to end the war.

At home, Biden's own Democrats face a period of recriminations and intra-party turmoil as they grapple with the fallout of their White House defeat. Biden faces renewed criticism from some on the left who say he should have declined to run sooner, giving Democrats more time to field a truly competitive primary.

Biden quickly endorsed Harris on the same day he announced he was withdrawing from the race.

Biden is in an unusual position as he congratulated Trump, who is both his predecessor in office and his successor. The Republican will be just the second US president to serve two non-consecutive terms, after Grover Cleveland in the late 19th century.

Harris delivered a concession speech on Wednesday in which she urged her supporters to accept the election results but to continue fighting for the ideals her campaign espoused.

"While I concede this election, I do not concede the fight that fueled this campaign," Harris said.