Harris concedes, DC area reacts to second Trump victory

The United States woke on Wednesday morning to the news that Donald Trump had won a second term, becoming the nation’s 47th president.

As the day after the 2024 election continued, residents across the DMV adjusted to a historic victory and what a return to a Trump White House could mean over the next four years.

In Washington, D.C., where more than 90% of voters chose Harris, the news was met with disappointment and anxiety.

“We are in trouble. We’re just in trouble,” one woman said in downtown D.C. Wednesday morning after election night and President-elect Donald Trump’s victory.

Businesses around downtown D.C. had boarded up windows before Election Day began, preparing for the possibility of violence. But after heightened security and fears in the city where, four years ago, rioters descended on the nation’s capitol to protest election results, D.C. police told News4 they made no arrests overnight.

Another voter said, “We’ve lived through him before. I think we will survive through this one, but I’m very disappointed.”

The prospect of a second Trump presidency was met with excitement at events across the U.S., including outside Trump Tower in New York City on election night.

All parts of the DMV — D.C., Maryland and Virginia — were called for Vice President Kamala Harris. In D.C. and Maryland, the win was decisive, but the margin in Virginia was much more narrow.

Virginia Gov. Glen Youngkin congratulated President-Elect Donald Trump and Vice President-Elect JD Vance on their victory in a message posted on social media platform X early Wednesday morning.

On the state level, Virginia re-elected Sen. Tim Kaine, who defeated challenger Hung Cao. Democrats also secured victories in Virginia’s 10th and 8th Congressional Districts.

The Associated Press has called Virginia’s 7th Congressional District for Democrat Eugene Vindman, in a highly contested race that decides who will replace Rep. Abigail Spanberger when she runs for governor in 2025. NBC News has not yet called the race.

In Maryland, the race for District 6 is also too close to call, though Democrat April McClain Delaney has a razor-thin lead over Republican candidate Neil Parrott. It’s a critical seat for the balance of power in the U.S. House.

But while some of the results of the election continue to trickle in, the biggest race was decided earlier than anyone anticipated.

President Biden spoke to both candidates in the wake of the presidential race being called. He congratulated Harris on her historic campaign and congratulated Trump on his victory. Biden “emphasized the importance of working to bring the country together,” and said he was committed to ensuring a smooth transition, according to the White House.

On Wednesday afternoon, Harris called now President-elect Trump to congratulate him on winning the 2024 presidential election, according to a senior Harris aide.

Harris also discussed the importance of a peaceful transfer of power and being a president for all Americans, the aide said.

At 4 p.m., Harris emerged on the stage on the Howard University campus, polished and dignified, and publicly conceded the race to Trump.

She emphasized that accepting a loss is an integral part of democracy, while emphasizing that her supporters “must accept the results of this election.”

“The light of America’s promise will always burn bright as long as we never give up and as long as we keep fighting,” she said, adding, “This is not a time to throw up our hands; it’s a time to roll up our sleeves.”

But though the election is over, Harris said, the fight is not.

“While I concede this election, I do not concede the fight that fueled this campaign,” she said.

She shared a message for young voters, many of them college students in the audience right in front of her. Shots of the crowd showed Howard students shedding tears as she spoke.

“On the campaign, I would often say, ‘When we fight, we win,’” Harris told the crowd, many of them in tears. “But here’s the thing: Sometime the fight takes a while. That doesn’t mean we won’t win. That doesn’t mean we won’t win. The important thing is don’t ever give up, don’t ever give up, don’t ever stop trying to make the world a better place.”  

“And don’t you ever listen when anyone tells you something is impossible because it has never been done before,” she added.

Kamala Harris conceded to Donald Trump in a speech at Howard University and said she will help Trump enact a peaceful transfer of power.

In the days and weeks leading up to Inauguration Day, the District will prepare for the historic ceremony and the second term of a man who has previously threatened a federal takeover of D.C.

D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser said in a statement that she will support the transition process and continue to advance the priorities of the District.

In a post on X, Bowser said: “As the nation’s capital, we are proud to fulfill our role in the peaceful transition of power. We will actively support the incoming Trump Administration’s transition process and the 60th Presidential Inauguration of President-elect Trump. As your mayor, I have worked with three presidents, including President-elect Trump, and congressional leaders of both parties to advance the priorities of the District — infrastructure, housing affordability, downtown revitalization and our self-determination. And driven by our values, we will pursue a collaborative approach to our federal priorities in the District.”

While on the campaign trail, President-elect Donald Trump threatened a federal takeover of Washington, D.C. News4’s Mark Segraves explains what could happen once he’s back in office.

Her statement concluded: “We thank the DC Board of Elections and election officials across the country for conducting a free and fair election. And we congratulate DC councilmembers and commissioners, members of Congress and President-elect Trump on their victories.”

D.C. Council Chairman Phil Mendelson says he supports the democratic process and a peaceful transition of power, “even when we are unhappy with the results,” he wrote in a brief statement this afternoon.

“And despite our internal disagreements over how things could be better, we, the District of Columbia, have a very good city, financially sound, and well run. We will remain focused on our strengths, protect our autonomy, and make sure no one tries to take that away from us,” his statement concluded.