WASHINGTON (TNND) — Just hours after Vice President Kamala Harris conceded the presidential race, President Joe Biden is speaking out for the first time on the outcome of the 2024 presidential election.

In a Instagram postPresident Biden noted, “What America saw today was the Kamala Harris that I know and deeply admire. »

Biden, mentioned Harris Concession Speech where she called for a peaceful transfer of power and urged Americans to accept the election results.

“One of the fundamental principles of democracy is that when we lose an election, we accept the results,” she said. “This principle, like any other, distinguishes democracy from monarchy or tyranny, and anyone who seeks to gain public confidence must respect it.”

Biden noted that Harris has been a “tremendous partner and public servant,” while emphasizing that his campaign began under extraordinary circumstances.

She stepped up and led a historic campaign that embodied what is possible when guided by a strong moral compass and a clear vision of a nation that is freer, fairer, and full of more opportunity for all Americans .

The president noted that choosing Harris as vice president was the first decision he made when he became a presidential candidate in 2020.

“Her story represents the best of American history. And as she made clear today, I have no doubt that she will continue to write that history.”

The White House also announced Wednesday that Biden had spoken to President-elect Donald Trump. following his victory and shared a commitment to ensuring a smooth transition and wanting to bring the country together. Biden also called Harris to congratulate her on the campaign.

Later Wednesday, Biden’s chief of staff contacted Trump’s team “to sign the federal agreements required to begin an orderly presidential transition,” a White House official told The Associated Press.

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The Associated Press contributed to this report.