Clinton conceded the election to Trump in a phone call to him earlier Wednesday morning.
“Last night, I congratulated Donald Trump and offered to work with him,” Clinton said. “I hope he will be a successful President for all Americans. It’s not the outcome we wanted or what we worked so hard for.”
Clinton said she felt pride and gratitude for the campaign that was built.
“Being your candidate has been one of the greatest honors of my life,” Clinton said. “I know how disappointed you feel, because I feel it, too. This is painful, and it will be for a long time. But I want you to remember this. Our campaign was never about one person or one election.”
Clinton told her supporters that Trump “will be our President and we owe him an open mind and a chance to lead.”
“We have seen that our nation is more deeply divided than we thought,” Clinton said. “I still believe in America and I always will. If you do, we must accept this result and look to the future.”
Tim Kaine, the Democratic vice-presidential nominee, also spoke briefly this morning.
“I’m so proud of Hillary Clinton,” Kaine said. “She has been and is a great history maker.”
Also Wednesday, President Barack Obama invited Trump to meet with him to discuss the handover of power from his administration to Trump’s, according to The Associated Press.
The White House said Obama called the Republican in the early hours of Wednesday morning to congratulate him on his victory in the presidential campaign.
The two leaders planned to meet Thursday at the White House, where Obama was to update Trump about ongoing planning for the transition.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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