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.
