Newsman: President-elect Donald Trump and outgoing President Joe Biden met in the Oval Office on Wednesday for nearly two hours just one week after winning a second term as president. The meeting was to resuming a hallmark of America’s peaceful transfer of power.
President Joe Biden congratulated President-elect Donald Trump as the two began a highly anticipated meeting at the White House one week after Trump’s election victory.
“Well, Mr. President-elect and former president, Donald,” Biden said as he shook Trump’s hand. “Congratulations, and I’m looking forward to having, like we said, a smooth transition, doing everything we can to make sure you’re accommodated, get what you need.”
Biden said they will have a chance to discuss some of these matters in their meeting.
First lady Jill Biden joined President Biden in greeting Trump upon his arrival, according to the White House. She gave Trump a handwritten letter of congratulations for Melania Trump, which also expressed her team’s readiness to assist with the transition. The first lady’s office confirmed that a joint invitation was extended to the Trumps for Wednesday’s meeting, but Melania Trump did not travel to Washington with her husband.
“Her husband’s return to the Oval Office to commence the transition process is encouraging, and she wishes him great success,” Melania Trump’s office said in a statement.
During the meeting, President Biden and President-elect Donald Trump shook hands while seated by a roaring fire before reporters and news cameras.
President Biden spoke first, calling for a “smooth transition” and telling Trump he would do “everything we can to make sure you’re accommodated.”
Trump thanked Biden.
“Politics is tough, and it’s, in many cases, not a very nice world but it is a nice world today,” Trump said. “And I appreciate it very much. A transition that’s so smooth, it’ll be as smooth as it can get, and I very much appreciate that, Joe.”
President –elect Donald Trump also met with lawmakers on Wednesday as they held elections for some of Congress’ pivotal leadership roles.
President Joe Biden stressed to President-elect Donald Trump the importance of continuing to stand with Ukraine in its war with Russia, White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said.
The White House later described the meeting as cordial, came after an intense campaign before Biden dropped out of the race and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris.
Jean-Pierre, at Wednesday’s press briefing, described the discussion between Biden and Trump as “very gracious and substantive.”
They discussed foreign policy, including Biden’s view on standing with Ukraine in the face of Russia’s aggression, national security and domestic issues, she said, and Trump came prepared with a list of questions for Biden.
Biden also spoke to Trump about “important items” for Congress to achieve in the lame-duck session. Lawmakers will have to come to an agreement on government funding, pass the annual defense bill and more before the end of the year.
“Finally, the president reiterated what he said to the president elect the day after the election and to the American people in the Rose Garden just last week: we will have an orderly transition and a peaceful transition of power,” Jean-Pierre said.
Trump exited the White House from the South Lawn by motorcade without addressing hundreds of reporters who were waiting outside the West Wing on the opposite side of the building.
Trump was joined by his incoming White House chief of staff, 2024 campaign manager Susie Wiles, while Biden was accompanied by Chief of Staff Jeff Zients, according to the White House.
Wednesday marked Trump’s first time back in the White House since ending his presidency under a cloud of election denialism four years ago. A week before his departure, he was impeached by the House for a second time as lawmakers charged him with “incitement of insurrection” after his supporters violently stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.After the 2020 election, Trump broke not only with inviting the president-elect to the White House but he also skipped Biden’s inauguration, instead leaving Washington mere hours before the ceremony began.
But with the election behind them, Biden phoned Trump last week to congratulate him on his win and invite him to Washington – a courtesy that Trump refused to extend to him after Biden defeated him in 2020.
