America’s former First Lady Michelle Obama took to Instagram on Tuesday, 17 November, to express her disapproval of US President Donald Trump’s lack of concession to his opponent President-Elect Joe Biden. This post comes after democratic candidate Biden was projected as the winner of the presidential race after surpassing the 270 electoral votes needed, defeating the incumbent President Donald Trump.
“The presidency doesn’t belong to any one individual,” Obama wrote in her post, slamming the Trump administration’s refusal to allow the transition from taking place.
Obama’s post went viral with over 3.5 million likes in only a few hours. It gained responses such as “Beautifully said”, and “This is what we all needed to hear.” Obama in her post encouraged Trump to “honor the electoral process” and do his part to facilitate a smooth transition of power, “just as sitting presidents have done throughout” history.
‘The Right Thing to Do’
The post also expressed the former FLOTUS’ concerns and apprehensions. She wrote about how she wasn’t ready to forgive Trump’s racism that was directed to her husband, confessing that it “wasn’t easy” to welcome the Trumps to the White House. She, however, put her concerns aside for the “sake of the country” because “it was the right thing to do.”
Michelle Obama also said that she welcomed Melania Trump and the then president-elect’s team into the White House, sharing with the latter her experience about raising children with heightened scrutiny.
Writing that “our democracy is so much bigger than anyone’s ego,” the two-term First Lady stressed upon the danger that comes with a “groundless conspiracy.”
What is Donald Trump Saying?
Donald Trump’s claims of election fraud, coupled with his accusations of “illegal votes” changing the election outcome, have created a tense and divisive political environment in the US.
On Monday, Trump took to Twitter yet again, refusing to acknowledge defeat by tweeting “I WON THE ELECTION!”
Twitter has flagged various tweets by Trump and his team, calling his claims ‘disputed’ and inaccurate.
Michelle Obama’s reservations are shared by Democrat-supporters nationwide. Many world leaders and Republican members of Congress have already taken to social media to congratulate Biden on his win.
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