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US President Joe Biden will make a painful address to the nation Thursday, vowing a peaceful transfer of power to Donald Trump after his political nemesis scored a crushing election win over Kamala Harris.
In what promises to be an agonizing moment for Biden, he will speak in the Rose Garden of the White House at 11:00 am (1600 GMT) to “discuss the election results and the transition” to Trump’s second term.
The 81-year-old dropped out of the race against Trump in July and handed the Democratic nomination to vice president Harris -— but is now likely to see his legacy dismantled by the Republican’s stunning comeback.
Biden is however apparently determined to draw a stark contrast with Trump, whose refusal to accept his own 2020 election defeat by Biden culminated in the violent January 6, 2021 assault by Trump supporters on the US Capitol.
Falsely claiming voter fraud, Trump also refused to attend Biden’s inauguration and did not allow a proper transition.
The White House said Biden spoke with Trump on Wednesday and “expressed his commitment to ensuring a smooth transition and emphasized the importance of working to bring the country together.”
Biden is striking a presidential tone by calling Trump and inviting him to meet at the White House, despite their long history of bitter animosity.
