Barack and Michelle Obama on Wednesday called on Americans to listen to one another and abide by democratic norms in a statement reacting to Donald Trump’s victory over Kamala Harris in the presidential election.
The former president and first lady began by congratulating the president-elect and his running mate, JD Vance.
“This is obviously not the outcome we had hoped for, given our profound disagreements with the Republican ticket on a whole host of issues. But living in a democracy is about recognising that our point of view won’t always win out, and being willing to accept the peaceful transfer of power,” they said.
The Obamas said they were incredibly proud of Vice President Harris and her running mate, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, lauding their “extraordinary” public service and “remarkable campaign.” They also thanked all the staff and volunteers who supported their efforts.
“As I said on the campaign trail, America has been through a lot over the last few years — from a historic pandemic and price hikes resulting from the pandemic, to rapid change and the feeling a lot of folks have that, no matter how hard they work, treading water is the best they can do,” the statement said.
“Those conditions have created headwinds for democratic incumbents around the world, and last night showed that America is not immune.”
They finished with some “good news,” noting that those problems are solvable.
“But only if we listen to each other, and only if we abide by the core constitutional principles and democratic norms that made this country great,” they wrote.
See the full statement below.
Former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who lost to Trump in the 2016 presidential election, also issued a statement.
“Kamala Harris and Tim Walz ran a positive, forward-looking campaign to be proud of,” it said. “The American people have voted, and Donald Trump and J.D. Vance will be the next President and Vice President of the United States. We wish them well and hope they will govern for all of us.”
They continued, “We must remember that America is bigger than the results of any one election, and what we as citizens do now will make the difference between a nation that moves forward or one that falls back.”
“We need to solve our problems and seize our opportunities together. The future of our country depends on it,” they concluded.
See the statement below.
Harris conceded the election to Trump on Wednesday, differentiating herself from the Republican, who did not extend the same courtesy to President Joe Biden in 2020, instead spending months falsely claiming the vote was fraudulent.
Trump did not respect the peaceful transfer of power in 2020 and encouraged his supporters to protest his loss, leading to a violent insurrection at the US Capitol on January 6, 2021. He left office two weeks later, breaking precedent by skipping the inauguration of his successor.