Donald Trump has released his first pre-recorded video message to Americans since he was elected in time for Thanksgiving, urging the country to accept his leadership.

In the video, uploaded to Facebook, he cited Abraham Lincoln’s plea of "one voice and one heart" and, in Mr Trump's own words, he said he would push for a "very, very common resolve".

The business mogul vowed to look after the safety of cities, in particular inner cities, which he said was "so important" to him.

In words that might have been targeted at Hillary Clinton and independent candidate supporters, he said: "Emotions are raw and tensions just don’t heal overnight. It doesn’t go quickly, unfortunately."

His words might also strike a nerve with disappointed supporters who were energised by the promise that he would appoint a special prosecutor to investigate Ms Clinton’s alleged misuse of her personal email server.

He told the New York Times staff this week that prosecuting his former rival was no longer something he "felt very strongly about". He also dampened his anti-climate change stance and said he "liked [president] Obama a lot".

His speech the day before Thanksgiving comes the same month that he swept to victory, despite Ms Clinton gaining a lead in the popular vote of more than two million votes, a matter which irked the president-elect and which he addressed on twitter, saying he would also have won the popular vote if he had campaigned harder in certain states.

Protests erupted around the country after 8 November, particularly in California, Washington DC and New York, where people stood with banners outside Trump Tower.

Over Thanksgiving, Mr Trump will be mulling further decisions over who he should appoint to his cabinet.

On Wednesday he appointed billionaire, anti-gay activist Betsy DeVos as education secretary, one of two women in a top role.

Mr Trump said he wanted retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson to take the job as US housing and urban development secretary.

Mr Carson will reportedly make a decision on the job after the national holiday, just one week after he turned down a cabinet role as he said he would be like "a fish out of water".

Read the full speech below:

"We are very blessed to call this nation our home. And that’s what America is - our home. It’s where we raise our families, care for our loved ones, look out for our neighbours, and live out our dreams.

"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.

"In declaring this national holiday, president Lincoln called upon Americans to speak with one voice, and one heart - that’s just what we have to do. We’ve just finished a long, bruising political campaign.

"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 support of the entire nation.

"This historic political campaign is now over, but now begins a great national campaign to rebuild our country, restore the full promise of America for all of our people.

"I’m asking you to join me in this effort. It’s 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.