Harris to Call Trump to Concede Presidential Race

Vice President Kamala Harris is expected to concede the 2024 race on Wednesday by calling President-elect Donald Trump. Two aides from her team confirmed the plan. She will also make a public statement later in the day at Howard University. Her campaign hasn’t announced the exact timing of her speech, but sources say she’s working on it now.

President Joe Biden will also call Trump to acknowledge his win. A White House official says Biden plans to publicly address the election outcome as well. Unlike Trump in 2020, Biden will offer a formal congratulation and an invitation to the White House. He has also agreed to attend Trump’s inauguration if invited, showing a commitment to a smooth transition.

NBC News projected Trump as the winner early Wednesday morning. Their call came just after 5:30 a.m. ET, with Trump securing 276 electoral votes to Harris’s 223. Hours before, at 2:30 a.m., Trump declared victory at a celebration in Florida. He had clinched several battleground states, including Pennsylvania, Georgia, North Carolina, and Wisconsin. Meanwhile, Nevada, Michigan, and Arizona remained too close to call.

Harris’s campaign was brief but intense. She launched her run in late July after Biden stepped aside, opening the path for her nomination. Biden’s decision followed a shaky debate performance against Trump, which worried some top Democrats. At 81, Biden faced doubts about his age and ability to win. His withdrawal left Harris, then 60, as the party’s choice, but she had only three months to make her case to voters.

Polls showed the race was tight. Harris, however, struggled with a significant gender gap, particularly among white men, who leaned heavily toward Trump. Exit polls showed that 54% of male voters backed Trump, while only 44% supported Harris.

Harris promoted an “opportunity economy” to help the middle class and vowed to tax the wealthy. She promised to support national abortion rights, make rent more affordable, and ease the costs of home health care. She also called Trump a threat to democracy, describing him as “unhinged” and “fascist.” But these warnings were not enough to sway many voters, who instead trusted Trump’s message on strength and security.

Trump, 78, focused on his experience and promised economic recovery. He also pledged to tackle foreign crises, especially in Ukraine and the Middle East. His win comes despite legal battles, including his conviction on 34 felony counts related to a hush money scandal and his role in the January 6 Capitol attack. Yet his supporters seem undeterred, confident he is the leader to restore America’s greatness.

As the day unfolds, Harris’s concession will mark the close of a heated election. Her call and Biden’s offer of a White House invitation stand in contrast to Trump’s defiance in 2020, underscoring the nation’s divide. The peaceful transfer of power remains essential, even in a country as polarized as ever.