Following the results of the US election 2024, which will see Donald Trump become the next president and the Republican party return to power, Kamala Harris has made a powerful speech acknowledging her party’s loss and focusing on what the future now means for her supporters in the US.

Giving a speech at Howard University and addressing the crowd, Harris said: “My heart is full today. Full of gratitude for the trust you have placed in me, full of love for our country and full of resolve. The outcome of this election is not what we wanted, not what we fought for and not what we voted for, but here me when I say, the light of America’s promise will always burn bright as long as we never give up and as long as we keep fighting.”

Harris also addressed the implications of the vote for women in the US, saying she would fight for a future “where the women of America have the freedom to make decisions about their own body and don’t have the government telling them what to do”. While the latest exit poll data suggests Harris may have slightly underperformed in the election amongst female voters compared to her predecessor, Joe Biden, in 2020, these same polls also show that Harris secured over half of women’s votes in the US (54%). And, at a time where there is fear among some women about what Trump’s presidency will potentially mean for them – including in areas like reproductive rights, scrapping the Affordable Care Act and cutting taxes for family caregivers – it’s clear that Harris’s comment captures the emotions that many women are feeling today.

In addition to sharing what she was proud of and thanking members of her campaign, Harris urged people to “accept the results of this election”. She also said she would continue to fight for the issues that were important to the American public, telling her supporters: “while I concede this election, I do not concede the fight that fuelled this campaign.”

Before her speech to the public, Harris called Trump to concede defeat. Former president Donald Trump has won the US 2024 election, beating his Democrat opponent to become the 47th US president. The presidential inauguration will take place on 20 January 2025.

Images: Getty