President Joe Biden of the United States is scheduled to address the nation on Thursday, affirming his commitment to a peaceful transfer of power to Donald Trump following the latter’s significant victory over Kamala Harris in the recent election.
In what is anticipated to be a poignant occasion, Biden will speak from the White House Rose Garden at 11 a.m. ET (1600 GMT) to “discuss the election results and the transition” to Trump’s second term.
At 81 years old, Biden had earlier stepped aside from the race against Trump in July 2024, endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris for the Democratic nomination—only to see his legacy possibly jeopardized by Trump’s unexpected resurgence.
Despite this, Biden intends to differentiate himself notably from Trump, whose refusal to accept his 2020 election defeat culminated in the violent events at the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021, instigated by Trump supporters.
Trump’s baseless claims of voter fraud led him to skip Biden’s inauguration and disrupt the standard transition process.
The White House has confirmed that Biden spoke with Trump on Wednesday, emphasizing his commitment to a seamless transition and the importance of national unity.
Biden aims to adopt a presidential demeanor, reaching out to Trump and inviting him to the White House, despite their long-standing rivalry. Trump campaign spokesman Steven Cheung noted that Trump “looks forward to the meeting, which will take place shortly, and greatly appreciated the call.”
This meeting will be their first interaction since Biden’s struggling debate performance against Trump in June, which ultimately led to Biden’s withdrawal from the race.
A New Political Era
Trump’s broad victory has significantly altered the political landscape in the United States and around the world.
Exit polls indicated that voters favored Trump’s hardline right-wing policies and rejected Biden and Harris’s performance, particularly regarding the economy and inflation.
World leaders have quickly pledged to cooperate with Trump, despite ongoing global concerns about his “America First” agenda and his promise to impose substantial tariffs on imports.
Attention is now focused on Trump’s efforts to assemble a new White House team, with notable figures like Elon Musk and vaccine skeptic Robert Kennedy Jr. reportedly being considered.
The Trump campaign’s transition team stated on Wednesday that Trump would be working in the “coming days and weeks” to identify the “best people” for his administration.
One of Trump’s early actions could involve halting Biden’s significant military aid to Ukraine amid its ongoing conflict with Russia, as he has suggested previously that he would push Kyiv for territorial concessions to satisfy Russian President Vladimir Putin, whom Trump has frequently praised.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky reached out to Trump on Wednesday to congratulate him and advocate for a “just peace.”
Trump’s return to the White House is also poised to reverse Biden’s environmental policies, with Trump promising to increase oil production under his “drill, baby, drill” approach.
For Biden, the ultimate aim was a Harris victory to thwart Trump’s return to power, yet many Democrats feel he waited too long to step aside for his vice president.
Biden paid tribute to Harris after her concession speech on Wednesday, stating, “What America saw today was the Kamala Harris I know and deeply admire.”
In a notable parallel to Biden, Trump, at 78, is set to become the oldest sitting president, surpassing Biden, who will leave office in January at the age of 82.
