Joe Biden greeted president-elect Donald Trump with a powerful message of “welcome home” as the pair put aside their differences at the White House’s North Portico.
The property mogul’s return to the White House marked a personal disappointment for Biden, who once viewed himself as the barrier to Trump’s political comeback.
Despite any lingering tensions, Biden maintained composure, shaking hands with Trump and hosting him for the customary tea and coffee before the inauguration. When asked for his message of the day, Biden offered a single word: “Joy.”
White House officials noted there was no hesitation about whether Biden would uphold these ceremonial traditions, even though Trump had not extended the same courtesies to him four years earlier. One official explained, “It was very important to him to respect tradition, follow protocol, and do this by the book.”
Follow along with our live inauguration blog here
Trump will be the first person convicted of a felony — for falsifying business records related to hush money payments — to serve as president. He will pledge to “preserve, protect and defend” the Constitution from the same spot that was overrun by his supporters on January 6, 2021. He’s said that one of his first acts in office will be to pardon many of those who participated in the riot.
If you can’t see the poll, click here
Eight years after he first entered the White House as a political newcomer, Trump is far more familiar with the operations of federal government and emboldened to bend it to his vision. Trump wants to bring quick change by curtailing immigration, enacting tariffs on imports and rolling back Democrats’ climate and social initiatives.
He has also promised retribution against his political opponents and critics, and placed personal loyalty as a prime qualification for appointments to his administration.
Hours before the inauguration, Biden issued preemptive pardons to current and former government officials who have been the target of Trump’s anger, shielding them from the possibility of prosecution. Biden said in a statement that “these are exceptional circumstances, and I cannot in good conscience do nothing.”
Trump has pledged to go further and move faster in enacting his agenda than during his first term, and already the country’s political, business and technology leaders have realigned themselves to accommodate Trump. Democrats who once formed a “resistance” are now divided over whether to work with Trump or defy him. Billionaires have lined up to meet with Trump as they acknowledge his unrivaled power in Washington and ability to wield the levers of government to help or hurt their interests.
At Reach and across our entities we and our partners use information collected through cookies and other identifiers from your device to improve experience on our site, analyse how it is used and to show personalised advertising. You can opt out of the sale or sharing of your data, at any time clicking the “Do Not Sell or Share my Data” button at the bottom of the webpage. Please note that your preferences are browser specific. Use of our website and any of our services represents your acceptance of the use of cookies and consent to the practices described in our Privacy Notice and Cookie Notice.