Liveupdated1731005733

Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox

Get our free Inside Washington email

Please enter a valid email address

Please enter a valid email address

I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy

Thanks for signing up to the

Inside Washington email

{{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }}

President Joe Biden assured Americans that there will be a “peaceful and orderly” transition to the next Trump administration in a speech in the Rose Garden at the White House on Thursday.

“Yesterday, I spoke with President-elect Trump to congratulate him on his victory, and I assured him, I will direct my entire administration work with his team to ensure a peaceful and orderly transition,” Biden said in a short speech in front of staff and press.

Meanwhile, Donald Trump is celebrating his election win by beginning the process of choosing who will join his second administration, as his conservative allies and surrogates jostle for position in the hope of securing a top role.

Trump’s defeated adversary Kamala Harris called to congratulate him on his victory on Wednesday afternoon and subsequently delivered a concession speech at Howard University, in which she said that, while she concedes the election, she will not give up the fight that fueled her campaign.

“The fight for freedom, opportunity, fairness, and dignity of all people, and ideals at the heart of this nation… that is a fight I will never give up,” the vice president said.

1731005733

‘Straight up BS’: DNC chair hits back after Bernie Sanders slams party’s approach to election

Democratic National Committee chair Jaime Harrison has hit back after Independent Senator for Vermont Bernie Sanders wrote a scathing critique of the party’s approach to the election, saying it had abandoned working-class people and so they had abandoned them.

Harrison wrote on X: “This is straight up BS… Biden was the most-pro worker President of my life time- saved Union pensions, created millions of good paying jobs and even marched in a picket line and some of MVP’s plans would have fundamentally transformed the quality of life and closed the racial wealth gap for working people across this country. From the child tax credits, to 25k for a down payment for a house to Medicare covering the cost of senior health care in their homes. There are a lot of post election takes and this one ain’t a good one.

Oliver O'Connell7 November 2024 18:55

1731005433

Elon Musk’s estranged trans daughter doesn’t see her future being in US

Elon Musk’s estranged daughter, Vivian Jenna Wilson, has spoken out following the 2024 US presidential election results.

On Wednesday (November 6), Republican candidate Donald Trump claimed victory over Vice President Kamala Harris resulting in many women and members of the LGBT+ community expressing fear over regressive policies. One of these people was Musk’s 20-year-old transgender daughter who is an outspoken champion of transgender rights.

Musk has shown his support for the now-president-elect on multiple occasions throughout his campaign with rumors that he could play a role in Trump’s administration.

Brittany Miller has the story.

Elon Musk’s estranged trans daughter says she doesn’t ‘see a future’ in the US

‘Even if he’s only in office for 4 years, even if the anti-trans regulations magically don’t happen, the people who willingly voted this in are not going anywhere anytime soon,’ the Tesla CEO’s daughter wrote

Oliver O'Connell7 November 2024 18:50

1731004833

‘You come for my people, you come through me'

Democratic Illinois Governor JD Pritzker has spoken to the press for the first time since Donald Trump’s presidential election win, saying he expects to work with the new administration.

However, the surrogate for Kamala Harris issued a warning: “You come for my people, you come through me.”

The governor was referring to minority and underserved communities in Illinois who remember the “chaos, retribution and disarray radiated from the White House the last time Donald Trump occupied,” Politico reports.

Pritzker said his administration “was not unprepared” for Trump’s victory and had taken proactive steps to protect abortion rights and other laws that might be impacted by decisions coming out of Washington.

He said the state would take action if the new administration tried to circumvent federal government grants to Illinois and that he’s had similar conversations with other governors.

“We have like minds about protecting certain rights and making sure that we’re going to be able to withstand four years of a Donald Trump presidency and also the areas where we might work with the administration, whatever those may be,” Pritzker said.

Oliver O'Connell7 November 2024 18:40

1731004233

‘Nostradamus’ bashes rival pollster after both election predictions flopped

With Donald Trump heading back to the White House, it’s not just the Democrats who face a reckoning, but pollsters as well.

Multiple high-profile polling gurus failed to accurately predict what ended up being a decisive victory for the former president on Tuesday, and now some of the experts are taking pot-shots at each other.

Political pollster and historian Allan Lichtman took a swipe at fellow elections forecaster Nate Silver on Wednesday, saying that ‘unlike his rival’ he will admit he was wrong about the 2024 result.

Ariana Baio has the story.

‘Nostradamus’ of polling bashes rival after both election predictions flopped

Across the board, pollsters failed to predict Trump would win by a comfortable margin

Oliver O'Connell7 November 2024 18:30

1731003633

Axelrod: ‘Biden could not have won this race'

Speaking on CNN, Obama campaign strategist David Axelrod says Joe Biden could not have the 2024 election had he remained in the race and not passed the torch to Kamala Harris.

“Joe Biden could not have won this race,” he said on CNN. “Whether fair or unfair, he had a very low approval rating and people lost confidence in him, and the debate was the culmination of it, just in his stamina and his ability to do the job.”

He added: “Maybe Joe Biden should have decided very early that one term was enough and given the party a chance to have a primary election. And maybe the outcome could have been different, but it might not have been.”

Oliver O'Connell7 November 2024 18:20

1731003033

Vance speaks with UK counterpart

Vice President-elect JD Vance has spoken with Angela Rayner, the deputy prime minister of the United Kingdom.

Rayner said it was good to speak with him and that they could build on the special relationship between the two countries.

Oliver O'Connell7 November 2024 18:10

1731002376

Trump’s campaign co-chair favorite to be chief of staff, report says

NBC News reports that Donald Trump’s unassuming co-campaign chief Susan Wiles is seen as the frontrunner to become his White House chief of staff. The network cites six sources familiar with the discussions inside the campaign.

If chosen, Wiles would become the first female White House chief of staff in history.

Per NBC:

“She has commanded a ton of respect amongst the staff, as well as loyalty. She doesn’t play games. And she means what she says: On the campaign, she said we are checking egos at the door and held everyone to it,” said one campaign official, who, like others in this piece, was granted anonymity to speak candidly or because they were not authorized to speak on the record. “The team of rivals concept did not apply here.”

"Susie is as good as they get," a second Trump campaign official said. "She ran a great campaign and has the respect of all — including Democrats who recognize her talent. She'd make for a great chief of staff and would serve at the president's pleasure. After all, it is his White House."

A third Trump campaign official said Wiles is already playing the de-facto chief of staff role and that staffers widely want her to get the job. A large staff meeting is taking place at the campaign headquarters on Thursday, and Wiles will lead it.

Here’s our profile on the “ice maiden” who could make West Wing history:

Meet the ‘ice maiden’ behind Trump’s victory who could be his new chief of staff

On one hand, Susie Wiles is the generous neighbour who brings you casseroles and sends you flowers when you’re in the hospital. On the other, she’s a ruthless political operator who was the mastermind behind getting Donald Trump back to the White House. Alex Hannaford talks to those who know her to get a sense of where her influence could go next

Oliver O'Connell7 November 2024 17:59

1731001833

Biden promises ‘peaceful and orderly’ transition to Trump

Four years after Donald Trump refused to acknowledge losing the 2020 presidential election, President Joe Biden said his administration would honor Trump’s victory over Vice President Kamala Harris by facilitating a “peaceful and orderly transition” to the incoming Republican administration.

In remarks delivered from the White House Rose Garden on Wednesday to an audience that included a large portion of Biden’s cabinet, plus his granddaughter, Finnegan Biden, the president called the American electoral system “the greatest experiment in self-government in the history of the world.”

“The people vote and choose their own leaders, and they do it peacefully. And we’re in a democracy — the will of the people always prevails,” he said.

Andrew Feinberg reports from Washington, DC.

Biden promises ‘peaceful and orderly’ transition to Trump

President says he’ll ‘honor the constitution’ by preparing for a peaceful transfer of power in 74 days

Oliver O'Connell7 November 2024 17:50

1731000633

Watch: Biden echoes Harris, saying ‘setbacks are unavoidable but giving up is unforgivable'

Biden on US election result: Setbacks are unavoidable but giving up is unforgivable

Joe Biden broke his silence as he addressed the nation from the White House a day after Donald Trump won the presidential election. The Democratic president told American citizens: "Setbacks are unavoidable but giving up is unforgivable. "We all get knocked down but the measure of our characters, as my dad always used to say, is how quickly we get back up." "We lost this battle, the America of your dreams is calling for you to get back up," he urged the country. Biden and Trump, who spoke by phone on 6 November, will soon discuss the transition between administrations.

Oliver O'Connell7 November 2024 17:30

1730999433

Who is on Trump’s enemies list?

For years, Donald Trump has threatened to go after countless political rivals who he claims have wronged him.

In speeches to supporters and rants on his Truth Social platform, he has on multiple occasions vowed to seek “retribution” and called his political opponents the “enemies from within.”

During an interview with Dr Phil in June, he issued an especially ominous threat. “Well, revenge does take time. I will say that. And sometimes revenge can be justified,” he said.

Rhian Lubin reports.

Trump’s enemies list: political rivals and organizations he threatened to go after

Kamala Harris previously warned that the president-elect ‘has an enemies list of people he intends to prosecute’

Oliver O'Connell7 November 2024 17:10

Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article

Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.

Already subscribed? Log in