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New Delhi:
US Vice President Kamala Harris conceded the presidential election to Donald Trump after an acrimonious, turbulent and polarising campaign. In her speech, the Democratic leader said though she has conceded the election, she has not conceded “the fight that fuelled this campaign.”
“While I concede the election, I do not concede the fight that fuelled this campaign. Fight for freedom, opportunity, dignity for all people,” Ms Harris said in a speech that lasted less than 15 minutes.
Her supporters cheered, even though she admitted it was painful to lose. She told them to “keep fighting”.
“… I will close with this. Only when it is dark enough, can you see the stars. I know many people feel we are entering a dark time… Let us fill the sky with the light of billions and billions of stars, the light of truth, optimism and service,” she said.
“The outcome of this election is not what we wanted, not what we fought for, not what we voted for, but hear me when I say that the light of America’s promise will always burn bright as long as we never give up and as long as we keep fighting,” she told supporters.
“We must accept the results of this election. Earlier today, I spoke with President-elect Trump and congratulated him on his victory,” Ms Harris told supporters in the concession speech at her alma mater Howard University in Washington.
“I also told him that we will help him and his team with their transition, and that we will engage in a peaceful transfer of power,” she said.
Mr Trump’s victory, following one of the most hostile campaigns in modern US history, was all the more remarkable given an unprecedented criminal conviction, a near-miss assassination attempt, and warnings from a former chief of staff that he is a “fascist.”
Mr Trump had never conceded defeat four years ago when his supporters ransacked the US Capitol. He returned to the White House with wider margins than before despite a criminal conviction, two impeachments while last in office and warnings from his former chief of staff that he was a “fascist.”
At 78, Mr Trump will be the oldest President during his inauguration scheduled on January 20. Had Ms Harris won, she would have been the first woman president of the US. “It’s a political victory that our country has never seen before,” Mr Trump said earlier today in his victory speech.
Global leaders swiftly pledged to work with Mr Trump, despite concerns in some parts of the world about his “America First” approach. Among the most worried countries will be Ukraine, which Russia invaded in 2022.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi was among the first leaders who dialled Mr Trump to congratulate him. “Had a great conversation with my friend, President Donald Trump, congratulating him on his spectacular victory. Looking forward to working closely together once again to further strengthen India-US relations across technology, defence, energy, space and several other sectors,” PM Modi said in a post on X.
Mr Trump and Vice President-elect JD Vance have scoffed at the billions of dollars in US assistance to Ukraine under outgoing President Joe Biden, with their aides musing about forcing Ukraine to make concessions to end the war.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky congratulated Trump and said he hoped the new US leader would help Ukraine find a “just peace.”
Ms Harris entered the race in July after the visibly ageing Biden dropped out. She ran a centrist campaign that highlighted Mr Trump’s inflammatory messaging and use of racist and sexist tropes. But his apocalyptic warnings about immigration found their mark with voters battered by the post-Covid economy and eager for change after the Biden years.