Ray Locker

USA TODAY

WASHINGTON — After a long and bruising political campaign, President-elect Donald Trump Wednesday called in a video for the nation to "speak with one voice and one heart."

"It is my prayer, that on this Thanksgiving, we begin to heal our divisions and move forward as one country, strengthened by a shared purpose and very, very common resolve," said Trump, as he looked directly into the camera.

The video posted on YouTube came after Trump announced the selection Wednesday of two more Cabinet officials — South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley as ambassador to the United Nations and Michigan billionaire Betsy DeVos as secretary of Education.

"We have just finished a long and bruising political campaign," Trump said. "Emotions are raw and tensions just don’t heal overnight. It doesn’t go quickly, unfortunately, but we have before us the chance now to make history together to bring real change to Washington, real safety to our cities, and real prosperity to our communities, including our inner cities. So important to me, and so important to our country. But to succeed, we must enlist the effort of our entire nation."

This week, Trump has walked back some of his most controversial proposals during the campaign against Democrat Hillary Clinton, including a call to have Clinton prosecuted for the use of a private email server while secretary of State.

In a meeting with The New York Times Tuesday, Trump also said he was reconsidering his call to have terrorist suspects waterboarded after he met with retired Marine general James Mattis, who is under consideration to be Defense secretary. Mattis, Trump said, told him he did not find waterboarding valuable in interrogating suspects.

Trump backs off support of waterboarding

In the video, Trump asked for the support of all Americans to help the nation heal.

"I am asking you to join me in this effort," he said. "It is time to restore the bonds of trust between citizens. Because when America is unified, there is nothing beyond our reach, and I mean absolutely nothing.

"Let us give thanks for all that we have, and let us boldly face the exciting new frontiers that lie ahead."

The president-elect is spending the holiday at his estate Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Fla., before returning to New York over the weekend to resume selecting members of his Cabinet.