President Joe Biden welcomed President-elect Donald Trump to the White House on Wednesday.
This was Trump’s first return to the White House since his 2020 election defeat to Biden, an outcome he had fiercely contested, alleging widespread electoral fraud.
The Oval Office meeting, held just a week after Trump’s victory in the November 5 election, was seen as a significant moment.
“We’ll ensure the transition is smooth and everything is ready for you,” Biden, 81, assured Trump, who responded, “It’ll be as smooth as it can get.”
The meeting was a stark contrast to the years of criticism the two leaders had exchanged. During their campaigns, Biden had frequently portrayed Trump as a threat to democracy, while Trump called Biden unfit for office.
The two sat beside a roaring fireplace, an unusual scene considering the previous heated exchanges and political animosity between them.
The visit comes as a symbolic end to Biden’s term after Democratic concerns around his age and mental fitness to serve a second term emerged during a debate with Trump earlier this year. Under mounting pressure, Biden had stepped aside in July, endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris as the Democratic candidate.
However, Harris was unable to overcome Trump’s broad support, leading to his victory with 312 electoral votes to her 226. Trump swept all seven critical swing states, including Pennsylvania and Arizona, regaining the presidency in a historic non-consecutive second term.
First Lady Jill Biden was also present to congratulate Trump, handing him a personal note addressed to former First Lady Melania Trump. In a gesture that underscored Biden’s commitment to the presidential traditions, he extended this invitation to Trump despite Trump’s refusal to offer him the same courtesy in 2020.
Earlier, White House spokesperson Karine Jean-Pierre highlighted Biden’s determination to uphold democratic norms. “President Biden has always respected the institution of the presidency and believes in the peaceful transfer of power,” she told reporters, a message reinforced by Biden’s gesture to invite his successor to the Oval Office.
Outside the White House gates, preparations for Trump’s inauguration were already underway, with construction teams assembling the parade stands. Trump will take the oath on January 20, 2025, formally returning to the office he held from 2016 to 2020.
