But in Washington, Donald Trump has not as yet accepted that in his continuing to allege that the election was stolen.

In his first speech after the result became clear, Mr. Biden told supporters that he wanted to restore the soul of America on, told those who didn't vote for him that they should give each other a chance.

He was projected as the winner after getting 279 Electoral College votes passed the crucial number of 270.

But that looks likely to increase, with a few states seen here in gray yet to declare.

Our North America correspondent Nick Bryant is in Wilmington, Delaware, Mr. Biden's hometown

Nick, over to you.

President-elect Biden is preparing to take power, stating that on the first day of his presidency he will send a letter to the United Nations indicating that America will rejoin the Paris Climate Change Agreement, a substantive and highly symbolic move, which would underscore how the United States is under new management.

Now, there are a few bleary eyes in Delaware today, not just because of the sleeplessness of the past few days, but because last night, they got to throw a party.

Democrats across America, a night both of celebration and catharsis.

Joy born of a certainty that Joe Biden will become the occupants of the White House, relief that Donald Trump will soon have to make his exit.

The coronavirus turned this into a drive-in victory party.

Social distancing temporarily cast aside, but cheers still muffled by masks, a multigenerational congregation that looked like modern-day America.

Kamala Harris tonight began with a historic first.

Never before has a woman become vice president-elect or a person of color.

Kamala Harris, Joe Biden's running mate, has achieved both.

But while I may be the first woman in this office, I will not be the last because every little girl watching tonight sees that this is a country of possibilities.

The president-elect of the United States of America, Joe Biden.

After nearly 50 years in public life, no wonder Joe Biden was in a hurry to reach the stage.

And he did so wearing his trademark face covering, a piece of fabric that's become a political symbol in a polarized country, the pandemic has driven even further apart.

Tonight, we're seeing all over this nation, all cities in all parts of the country.

Indeed, across the world, an outpouring of joy of hope, renewed faith and tomorrow bring a better day.

He presented himself is an elder and a healer.

Folks, I'm a proud Democrat, but I will govern as an American president.

Our work is hard for those who didn't vote for me as those who did, let this grimmer of demonization in America begin to end here and now.

A leader who can restore the soul of America.

The Bible tells us to everything there's a season, a time to build, a time to reap in a time to sow, and a time to heal.

This is the time to heal in America.

Joe Biden says he wants to bring this country together, but it's in such a state of disunion.

There isn't even agreement on who has won this election.

The White House is looking more like an elegant bunker under seized from Democrats calling for Donald Trump to concede.

But the president took to the golf course this morning, continuing to make unsubstantiated claims that the election was rigged, that some giant fraud has been committed.

The president-elect attended Mass and then visited the grave of his son, who died from cancer, a reminder of how his story of personal grief finds a mournful echo in these sorrowful times.

His party last night ended with a kind of made-for-television spectacular that we normally associate with Donald Trump, a show of the Democratic reality that Joe Biden is the winner.

Nick Bryant, BBC News, Delaware.

Well, as you heard there from Nick, President Trump was out on the golf course again today, but then he returned to the White House on our North America editor, John.

So Paul is there now, um, John, any idea of what is going on behind the scenes?

Any idea of what is going on behind the scenes?

Is he coming under pressure to concede?

There is pressure, undoubtedly Michelle for Donald Trump to concede.

We've had President George W. Bush, the only living former Republican president coming out and congratulating Joe Biden today on his victory, not waiting for any legal mechanisms that the president is currently going through.

There are also reports that the first lady Melania believes that the president should concede and so too his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, who is a key adviser; against that you've got his two sons saying, no, no, no, you've got to fight this on to the end, and there are some other senior Republican voices as well saying that.

But I've read in some commentary today saying that Joe Biden's election victory was a repudiation of Donald Trump and Trumpism.

I think that's wrong.

Donald Trump got more votes in this election than he did in 2016, and Donald Trump marches to the tune of what his base wants to hear, and if they believe that he's still fighting on immigration and still fighting on economic nationalism.

The message is that Donald Trump has made his own: they make encourage him to fight this all the way in the courts, and so this could go on for some time.

That said, there are a couple of fixed points in the calendar worth marking.

In the middle of December, the Electoral College, this complicated mechanism for choosing the president is meant to meet to deliver the verdicts from each particular state.

And then, in January the 20th, his term expires, and If it's not resolved, he'll be turfed out.

They'll change the locks on the White House door.

So how far away from a phone call where President Trump picks up the phone and says, President-elect Biden, many congratulations.

I was wrong about the fraud allegations, I concede

Not any time soon, and I can't even see it happening.