At the Congressional luncheon held shortly after the inauguration of the United States’ 45th President, Donald Trump, the freshly minted leader called for a standing ovation for vanquished rival Hillary Clinton.
Surrounded by lawmakers at the traditional lunch in the capitol building, President Trump shook hands with his former rival and later called attention to both Bill and Hillary Clinton, seated at one of the tables.
“There is something that I wanted to say,” Mr Trump said.
“I was very honoured, very very honoured, when I heard that President Bill Clinton and Secretary Hillary Clinton was coming today, and I think it’s appropriate to say – and I’d like you to stand up, I’d like you to stand up.
“And honestly there’s nothing more I can say, because I have a lot of respect for those people.”
President Trump’s comments come after a bitter and divisive campaign against the his democratic rival.
Hillary Clinton was seated at a table with her husband, President Bill Clinton, and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi. Source: AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta
As Trump called his former rival “guilty as hell” over a much publicised State Department email scandal.
During the campaign, Mr Trump branded his opponent ‘crooked Hillary’, while he and his surrogates led crowds in chants of "lock her up".
Mr Trump also during a presidential debate, quipping during one debate that she would be “in jail” if he became president.
During the campaign, Mr Trump said he would appoint a special prosecutor to investigate Hillary Clinton, a commitment he appears to have walked away from.
At various points Mr Trump said his opponent had neither the look nor the stamina for the presidency.
The former first lady wasn’t the only target during the campaign.
Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton and Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump debate during the third presidential debate. Source: AP
After a leaked video appearing to show Mr Trump apparently bragging about sexually lewd comments, Mr Trump went on the attack over former president Bill Clinton’s conduct.
The then Republican nominee with women who had accused Bill Clinton of rape and sexual assault, also retweeting claims from a woman saying the former president raped her.
“What he has done to women there has never been anybody in the history of politics in this nation who has been so abusive to women,” Mr Trump .
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For her part, Hillary Clinton branded Trump temperamentally unfit and too dangerous to be president, spending millions of dollars in negative advertising.
President Trump’s most recent comments may signal a return to more pleasant relations between the pair.
Before becoming opponents in the 2016 race, the pair had a warmer association, though Clinton insisted they .
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In a 2012 interview, Trump praised Clinton as a "terrific woman".
“I am biased because I have known her for years. I live in New York. She lives in New York. I really like her and her husband both a lot. I think she really works hard,” he told Fox News.
The Clintons attended Mr Trump’s 2005 wedding.
Mr Trump also donated to Ms Clinton’s New York senatorial campaign, and has donated a total of more than $100,000 to family’s charity, The Clinton Foundation, .
After delivering a , President Trump called for unity at the congressional luncheon.
“We’re all good people – whether you’re Republican or Democrat, it doesn’t make any difference, we’re going to get along,” he said.
