Election 2024 live updates: Biden vows to ensure a peaceful transition to Trump in address to nation
President-elect Donald Trump considering appointments to second administration after Kamala Harris delivers gracious consession speech, urging supporters not to lose heart
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.President Joe Biden assured Americans that there will be a “peaceful and orderly” transition to the next Trump administration in a speech in the Rose Garden at the White House on Thursday.
“Yesterday, I spoke with President-elect Trump to congratulate him on his victory, and I assured him, I will direct my entire administration work with his team to ensure a peaceful and orderly transition,” Biden said in a short speech in front of staff and press.
Meanwhile, Donald Trump is celebrating his election win by beginning the process of choosing who will join his second administration, as his conservative allies and surrogates jostle for position in the hope of securing a top role.
Trump’s defeated adversary Kamala Harris called to congratulate him on his victory on Wednesday afternoon and subsequently delivered a concession speech at Howard University, in which she said that, while she concedes the election, she will not give up the fight that fueled her campaign.
“The fight for freedom, opportunity, fairness, and dignity of all people, and ideals at the heart of this nation… that is a fight I will never give up,” the vice president said.
Biden ends Rose Garden speech: ‘We need to keep the faith’
Biden ended his short speech in the Rose Garden, urging supporters to “Remember, defeat does not mean we are defeated. We lost this battle. The America of your dreams is calling for you to get back up.”
He added: “That's the story of America for over 240 years, and counting. It’s the story for all of us, not just some of us. The American experiment endures. We're going to be okay, but we need to stay engaged. We need to keep going. And above all, we need to keep the faith.”
Biden calls Harris ‘a partner and a public servant'
Biden said he spoke to Harris yesterday, calling her “a partner and a public servant.”
“She ran an inspiring campaign, and everyone got to see something that I learned early on to respect so much. Her character, she has a backbone like a ramrod,” he added.
Biden begins speech on Harris election loss: ‘The will of the people always prevails'
President Joe Biden began his speech from the Rose Garden on Thursday by saying, “For over 200 years, America has carried on the greatest experiment in self-government in the history of the world. That's not hyperbole. That's a fact.”
“The people vote and choose their own leaders, and they do it peacefully. And we're in a democracy. The will of the people always prevails,” he added. “Yesterday, I spoke with President-elect Trump to congratulate him on his victory, and I assured him, I direct my entire administration work with his team to ensure a peaceful and orderly transition.”
Watch live: Biden addresses nation after Trump’s historic presidential win against Harris
Watch live as President Joe Biden addresses the nation on Thursday (7 November) after Donald Trump’s historic win against Kamala Harris.
Biden will address the nation from the White House Rose Garden at 11am ET (4pm GMT).
Meanwhile, Trump is celebrating his election win by beginning the process of choosing who will join his second administration, as his conservative allies and surrogates jostle for position in the hope of securing a top role.
Trump completed a shocking political comeback by winning the election four years after leaving the White House.
The former president surpassed the magic number of 270 Electoral College votes early yesterday after winning key battleground states.
He also won 51 percent of the popular vote, picking up 72.5m votes to Harris’s 68m as she fell well short of Biden’s 2020 total of 81m.
Why Trump will likely never see the inside of a prison cell — or be sentenced at all
In theory, the next President of the United States is supposed to face sentencing for his New York criminal trial conviction at the end of the month.
But following his dramatic election win this week it is looking increasingly likely that won’t happen and Donald Trump will once again evade repercussions for his actions.
More than five months ago, a New York jury found Trump guilty on 34 counts of falsifying business records stemming from hush-money payments he gave to adult film star Stormy Daniels before the 2016 presidential election.
Why Trump will likely never see the inside of a prison cell — or be sentenced at all
Legal experts feel confident the judge overseeing Trump’s hush money case will cancel his sentencing
Watch: How late-night covered Trump’s return to the White House
Election 2024 results breakdown: The electoral college, turnout, tightest races and who controls Congress
On Wednesday afternoon, Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris gave a speech conceding victory to Donald Trump, who has won the 2024 presidential election.
Trump has won at least 295 electoral college votes, more than what was needed to push him over the line of 270 to become the president-elect of the United States. Though two states (Arizona and Nevada) have not yet been called, Trump has already surpassed the number of votes to secure his return trip to the White House.
Votes will continue to be counted and certified in the coming days and weeks, so these numbers may not be final. But at this stage in the race, here are the numbers you need to know from the 2024 presidential election, from turnout to Senate control.
The 2024 presidential election in numbers
The Independent’s data correspondent looks at the numbers you need to know from the 2024 election, from how many states were flipped, to control of the Senate.
What’s next for reproductive healthcare under Trump?
The Dobbs decision in 2022 not only eliminated the constitutional right to an abortion but also left chaos and confusion in its wake, raising troubling questions about the future of reproductive healthcare in the United States.
Kelly Rissman and Alicja Hagopian report.
What’s next for reproductive healthcare during the Trump administration?
The Dobbs decision in 2022 not only eliminated the constitutional right to abortion but also left chaos and confusion in its wake, raising troubling questions about the future of reproductive healthcare. Kelly Rissman and Alicja Hagopian report
How celebrities reacted to Trump’s election win
Here’s Jacob Stolworthy to round-up how America’s stars greeted the news of four more years of Donald Trump in the White House.
Celebrities react as Donald Trump wins 2024 US election to become president
Film, TV and music stars are sharing their responses to the election result
What a second Trump presidency means for America
The Republican’s third campaign was defined by a promise of retribution and a sharpened nativist agenda to take America back again, Alex Woodward writes.
Emboldened and unshackled: What a second Trump presidency means for America
ANALYSIS: His third campaign was defined by a promise of retribution and a sharpened nativist agenda to take America back again, Alex Woodward reports
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments