Kamala Harris conceded the US presidency to Donald Trump in a heartfelt speech Wednesday.
“My heart is full today. My heart is full today, full of gratitude for the trust you have placed in me … and full of resolve,” the vice president, 60, said while at her alma mater, Howard University, in Washington, DC.
“The outcome of this election is not what we wanted …but here me when I say, 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 then thanked her husband, Doug Emhoff, President Joe Biden, local officials and her supporters.
“I know folks are feeling and experiencing a range of emotions right now. I get it,” Harris added with a laugh, “but we must accept the results of this election.”
Earlier on Wednesday, Harris called Trump to personally concede the election.
“She discussed the importance of a peaceful transfer of power and being a president for all Americans,” her aide told The Post.
Trump, 78, won the 2024 presidential election after receiving the majority of electoral votes in what many deemed a landslide victory.
He reversed crucial states like Georgia, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin that had voted Democratic in the previous elections to obtain a second non-consecutive term.
Many of Harris’ supporters waited for the vice president to address them on election night, but her campaign co-chair Cedric Richmond optimistically said at the time, “We still have votes to count.”
The vice president and her team worked hard until the very end, campaigning until the final hours of the election.
She joined canvassers in Reading, Penn., for door-knocking; rallied with supporters in Allentown, Scranton and Pittsburgh; and swung through Reading to visit a Puerto Rican restaurant.
Leading up to Election Day, Harris received an overwhelming amount of support from stars in Hollywood.
In July, Megan Thee Stallion performed at a rally in Atlanta and fellow rapper GloRilla closed out the campaign trail with a performance in Milwaukee earlier this month.
Global superstar Taylor Swift made waves when she endorsed Harris in September following the Democratic candidate’s presidential debate against Trump on ABC.
“I’m voting for @kamalaharris because she fights for the rights and causes I believe need a warrior to champion them,” Swift, 34, wrote via Instagram at the time.
“I think she is a steady-handed, gifted leader and I believe we can accomplish so much more in this country if we are led by calm and not chaos.”
She then praised Harris’ running mate, Gov. Tim Walz, writing, “I was so heartened and impressed by her selection of running mate @timwalz, who has been standing up for LGBTQ+ rights, IVF, and a woman’s right to her own body for decades.”
In October, Beyoncé also stepped up to endorse Harris at a rally in her hometown of Houston.
“I’m not here as a celebrity. I’m not here as a politician, I’m here as a mother,” the Grammy winner, 43, said in her speech.
“A mother who cares about the world our children live in, a world where we have the freedom to control our bodies, a world where we are not divided, our past or present or future.”
Want more celebrity and pop culture news?
Start your day with Page Six Daily.
Thanks for signing up!
However, some have criticized that Harris’ celebrity backing did her more harm than good.
Former NASCAR driver Danica Patrick said at a rally Sunday, “I never went to a Diddy party. I’m doing this because I love this country and there’s nobody that’s been tested more than Donald Trump on showing his love for this country — through indictments, house raids, mugshots and getting literally shot.”
Dave Portnoy credited Harris’ loss to the “arrogance” and “superiority” of the Democratic party.
However, the politician — who would have been the US’s first female president — was deemed by many to be more than qualified for the job given her experience working in the three branches of government.
She previously worked as an attorney general and senator in California. Since 2000, she served as vice president under President Joe Biden’s administration.
Earlier this year, Harris received the Democratic nomination after Biden, 81, dropped out of the race following concerns about his health, which also garnered a lot of criticism from the right.
Trump will be named the next commander-in-chief at the 60th Presidential Inauguration on Jan. 20, 2025.
English (US) ·