Barack and Michelle Obama address the election results
In a statement Wednesday evening, former President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama congratulated former President Donald Trump and Sen. J.D. Vance on their election victory.
"This is obviously not the outcome we had hoped for, given our profound disagreements with the Republican ticket on a whole host of issues," they wrote. "But living in a democracy is about recognizing that our point of view won’t always win out, and being willing to accept the peaceful transfer of power."
The Obamas said they "could not be prouder" of Vice President Kamala Harris and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, who they lauded as "two extraordinary public servants who ran a remarkable campaign."
"In a country as big and diverse as ours, we won’t always see eye-to-eye on everything. But progress requires us to extend good faith and grace -- even to people with whom we deeply disagree," the statement read. "That’s how we’ve come this far, and it’s how we’ll keep building a country that is more fair and more just, more equal and more free."