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“This is not a time to throw up our hands. This is a time to roll up our sleeves," said US Vice President Kamala Harris in her concession speech to the nation on Wednesday (Nov 6) after Donald Trump's crushing presidential victory.

In her speech at Howard University, where supporters were in tears after Harris' campaign could not stop a second Trump term in the US, Harris said, "While I concede this election, I do not concede the fight that fuelled this campaign."

Harris pledged to continue fighting for women's rights and against gun violence and to "fight for the dignity that all people deserve."

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She said she had called President-elect Trump, congratulated him on his triumph and promised to engage in a peaceful transfer of power.

Also read | What Trump’s victory means for two and a half years of Russia-Ukraine war

She further added that she knows people "feel like we are entering a dark time," but ended her speech calling for "optimism" and "faith."

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The sombre mood was in striking contrast to the homecoming a few weeks ago on the Howard campus when thousands of students and alumni gathered ahead of what they hoped would be the election of the country's first graduate of historically Black Colleges and Universities as president.

Harris addressed a crowd that included former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, aides in President Joe Biden's White House, and thousands of supporters. As she entered the stage, Harris' campaign anthem, Beyoncé's "Freedom", played. Her running mate, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, also joined the crowd.

Harris rose to the top of the Democratic ticket in July after Biden stepped aside. She brought new-found enthusiasm and cash to the ticket, but she struggled to overcome voters' concerns about the economy and immigration.

Also read | From freeing Jan 6 rioters to mass deportations, here's what Donald Trump promised to do on day 1 after win

She was handed a resounding loss on Tuesday, with Trump winning a greater share of votes across most of the country compared with his performance in 2020 and Democrats failing to secure key battleground states that decide elections.

Trump's first 1000 days in the White House

House majority leader, Steve Scalise, outlined plans in a letter for Donald Trump's first 100 days in office during which the Republicans will “lock in the Trump tax cuts”, “unleash American energy” and “surge resources to the southern border”, among other measures.

Talking about immigration, Scalise said his party will “build the Trump border wall, acquire new detection technologies, bolster our border patrol and stop the flow of illegal immigration”.

(With inputs from agencies)