Vice President Kamala Harris conceded the 2024 election to Donald Trump on Wednesday afternoon. Speaking from Howard University, her alma mater, Harris directly addressed her young supporters, urging them to stay positive and to “keep fighting” for “the extraordinary promise of the United States of America.”
Harris, whose defeat devastated the millions of people determined to close the chapter on Trump, said her “heart is full today—full of gratitude for the trust you have placed in me, full of love for our country, and full of resolve.” Acknowledging that “the outcome of this election is not what we wanted, not what we fought for, not what we voted for,” she asked supporters to “hear 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.”
Saying she knows that “folks are feeling and experiencing a range of emotions right now,” Harris nevertheless stressed that “we must accept the results of this election,” which, of course, was not the case for the losing candidate in 2020. The VP said that she “spoke with President-elect Trump” and told him that “we will help him and his team with their transition and that we will engage in a peaceful transfer of power,” because “a fundamental principle of American democracy is that when we lose an election, we accept the results,” and “anyone who seeks the public trust must honor it.”
“At the same time,“ Harris continued, “in our nation we owe loyalty not to a president or party, but to the Constitution of the United States, and loyalty to our conscience and to our god…. While I concede this election, I do not concede the fight that fueled this campaign—the fight for freedom, for opportunity, for fairness and the dignity of all people…. That is a fight I will never give up.”
English (US) ·