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Trump Says His Thanksgiving Prayer Is for Nation to Heal Rifts

“It’s time to restore the bonds of trust between citizens.”

Trump Says His Thanksgiving Prayer Is for Nation to Heal Rifts
Demonstrators gesture while marching during a protest in Los Angeles, California (Photographer: Patrick T. Fallon/Bloomberg)

(Bloomberg) -- President-elect Donald Trump urged Americans to put the divisive political campaign behind them and rally together to build a thriving nation.

In a recorded message for the Thanksgiving holiday, Trump offered words of conciliation and unity.

“It’s my prayer that on this Thanksgiving we begin to heal our divisions and move forward as one country, strengthened by shared purpose and very, very common resolve,” Trump said in a video posted on YouTube on Wednesday. “We have just finished a long and bruising political campaign. Emotions are raw and tensions just don’t heal overnight.”

He said now is the beginning of a new national campaign to restore the “full promise” of the U.S. “I’m asking you to join me in this effort. It’s time to restore the bonds of trust between citizens.”

Since winning the presidential election, Trump has sought to soften some the rhetoric he used in the campaign and tamp down some the anger among backers of Democrat Hillary Clinton. He’s also appealed to some of the Republicans who opposed his candidacy by reaching out to them as he forms his administration.

On Wednesday, he announced he’ll nominate a prominent Republican critic, South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley, as United Nations ambassador and he is said to be considering former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney, who led anti-Trump efforts, as secretary of state.

--With assistance from Terrence Dopp To contact the reporter on this story: Joe Sobczyk in Washington at jsobczyk@bloomberg.net. To contact the editors responsible for this story: Craig Gordon at cgordon39@bloomberg.net, Justin Blum, Michael B. Marois