GEORGE W. Bush has told Donald Trump that he must admit his loss because the 2020 presidential election "was fundamentally fair."

The former president released a statement on Sunday to congratulate President-Elect Joe Biden and Vice President-Elect Kamala Harris despite their "political differences."

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His supportive words come just one day after Biden addressed the nation in light of his victory.

Bush announced that he spoke with Biden and thanked him for last night's speech, saying: "I offered him the same thing I offered Presidents Trump and Obama: my prayers for his success, and my pledge to help in any way I can."

The former president then added: "The fact that so many of our fellow citizens participated in this election is a positive sign of the health of our democracy and a reminder to the world of its strength.

"No matter how you voted, your vote counted. President Trump has the right to request recounts and pursue legal challenges, and any unresolved issues will be properly adjudicated.

"The American people can have confidence that this election was fundamentally fair, its integrity will be upheld, and its outcome is clear."

Both the former President and his wife Laura wished "our leaders and their families" the best and urged the country to come together.

"We ask for God's continued blessings on our country," the statement added.

"And we urge all Americans to join us in wishing our next President and Vice President well as they prepare to take up their important duties."

Biden and his running mate Harris will be sworn in as president and vice president at the U.S. Capitol building in Washington D.C. on January 20, 2021.

Despite Trump's refusal to concede defeat, Biden had declared victory over the president on Saturday, November 7.

Trump's sons have demanded a "manual recount" of the vote and wife Melania has urged him not to concede defeat.

Eric Trump tweeted early this morning: "Software from hell! There needs to be a manual recount of every ballot in this country right now!"

His tweet linked to a Breitbart article reporting that another county in Georgia is "encountering a glitch."

According to the report, the glitch has caused a slowdown in the tallying of thousands of votes.

Donald Trump Jr also expressed his concern to social media, tweeting: "We went from 4 years of Russia rigged the election, to elections can’t be rigged really fast didn’t we???"

Trump Jr later re shared a tweet slamming the alleged election fraud as "so broad they thought it would be undetectable."

Outgoing First Lady Melania Trump has also added her voice to the election row.

In a Twitter message she wrote: "The American people deserve fair elections.

"Every legal – not illegal – vote should be counted. We must protect our democracy with complete transparency.”

Trump’s personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani on Sunday claimed he has “a lot of evidence” to overturn the election results in states including Pennsylvania.

Giuliani said he had facts of ballot fraud on the Fox News' Sunday Morning Features show with anchor Maria Bartiromo, who had several other Trump allies on as guests urging Trump not to concede. 

Meanwhile, President Trump can still run again in 2024 despite losing in 2020 to his Democrat rival.

The 22nd amendment states a president cannot be elected more than twice but does not specify that the terms must be held consecutively.

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