US Vice-President Kamala Harris said on Wednesday that she had spoken to President-elect Donald Trump to congratulate him and also assure him “we will engage in a peaceful transfer of power”.

Harris, who lost comprehensively to Trump, also said in a delayed concession speech from Howard University, her alma mater in Washington DC, “A fundamental principle of American democracy is that when we lose an election, we accept the results. That principle, as much as any other, distinguishes democracy from monarchy or tyranny, and anyone who seeks public trust must honour it. At the same time, in our nation, we owe loyalty not to a President or a party but to the Constitution of the US.”

Trump had refused to acknowledge his defeat to President Joe Biden in 2020 and had triggered the January 6 raid by his supporters on the Capitol to prevent a joint sitting of Congress from certifying Biden the next President. He had also refused to attend Biden’s inauguration, breaking from a long-running tradition.

The Trump campaign acknowledged Harris’s phone call in a statement.

The two leaders “spoke by phone earlier today where she congratulated him on his historic victory,” spokesperson Steven Cheung said.

“President Trump acknowledged Vice-President Harris on her strength, professionalism, and tenacity throughout the campaign, and both leaders agreed on the importance of unifying the country.”

In a 12-minute speech, Harris sought to leave an uplifting message.

“The outcome of this election is not what we wanted, not what we fought for, not what we voted for, but hear me when I say, hear 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.”

The outgoing Vice-President sought to assure supporters, especially the young men and women in the audience, that although they may be despondent in defeat they needed to look for reasons to hope.

“There’s an adage — a historian once called it a law of history — true of every society across the ages. The adage is, that only when it is dark enough can you see the stars. I know many people feel like we are entering a dark time, but for the benefit of us all, I hope that is not the case. But here’s the thing, America, if it is, let us fill the sky with the light of a brilliant, brilliant billions of stars, the light, the light of optimism, of Faith, of truth and service.”