Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) congratulated Joe Biden on becoming the president-elect, and President Donald Trump has a message for him.
âMitch, 75,000,000 VOTES, a record for a sitting President (by a lot),â Trump tweeted.
He continued, âToo soon to give up. Republican Party must finally learn to fight. People are angry!â
Trump was responding to a Daily Mail article titled, âTrumpâs allies slam Mitch McConnell for congratulating Biden.â
On the Senate floor Tuesday, McConnell acknowledged for the first time publicly that Biden and vice president-elect Kamala Harris won the 2020 presidential election. This came a day after the Electoral College affirmed Bidenâs win.
âYesterday electors met in all 50 states. So, as of this morning, our country has officially a president-elect and a vice president-elect,â McConnell said.
He added, âMany millions of us had hoped the presidential election would yield a different result. But our system of government has processes to determine who will be sworn in on January the 20th. The electoral college has spoken.â
Among those who criticized McConnell for his congratulations, which the Daily Mail pointed out, was pardoned former National Security Advisor Michael Flynn who reposted a tweet reading, âIt appears we need a few million AMERICAN PATRIOTS to let know we arenât on board with his âPresident Elect Bidenâ mindset.â
Flynn tweeted, âWe wonât fail or cower like some in the Republican Party have shown.â
Following McConnellâs congratulations, Biden revealed that he âcalled to thankâ the Senate leader and âtold him although we disagree on a lot of things, thereâs things we can work together on.â
Harris also responded to McConnell acknowledging Biden as the president-elect.
âI applaud Mitch McConnell for talking to Joe Biden today,â Harris said during an interview with ABCâs Robin Roberts, adding, âIt would have been better if it were earlier, but it happened, and thatâs whatâs most importantâŚLetâs move forward.â
White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany was asked during Tuesdayâs press conference if Trump acknowledges Biden as the president-elect following the Electoral College vote, to which she responded, âThe president is still involved in ongoing litigation related to the election.â
âYesterdayâs vote was one step in the constitutional process, so I will leave that to him and refer you to the campaign for more on that litigation,â she added.
