Donald Trump calls for unity in Thanksgiving holiday address

US President-elect Donald Trump has called for national unity in an address to mark the national Thanksgiving holiday.

In the wake of what he called a "long and bruising" election campaign he said emotions in the country were raw. The time had come, he said, "to begin to heal our divisions" but added that "tensions just don't heal overnight".

In his Thanksgiving address released on Wednesday, Trump acknowledged the bitterness still remaining after the bruising election campaign: "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."

Trump did not give any detail of his plans in the holiday address. He is appointing top administration officials as he readies for the January inauguration.

Earlier that day, he announced the appointment of two women to his cabinet, both of whom had been fiercely critical of him during the presidential campaign. South Carolina governor Nikki Haley was his pick for US ambassador to the United Nations, while Betsy DeVos has been chosen to be secretary of education. The appointments will need to be approved by the Republican-controlled Senate.