Biden does not spare Trump and warns of “the oligarchy taking shape” in his last speech as president

UNITED STATES – Five days before leaving the White House for good, Joe Biden is letting go of the horses. In his final speech delivered as president in the Oval Office, the Democrat strongly attacked his successor Donald Trump this Wednesday, January 15, warning in particular against “an oligarchy taking shape”. However, he never mentioned the Republican’s name.

Joe Biden began his speech by making a long metaphor about American democracy and the Statue of Liberty: “The idea of ​​America was not built by one, but by many of diverse origins and from all over the world. But like America, the Statue of Liberty does not stand still. (…) It moves back and forth to resist the fury of storms, to withstand the test of time. »

This first paragraph lays the groundwork for an offensive against Donald Trump, the billionaire promising to be extremely firm on immigration and threatening American democracy through his exercise of power. Will the American people have “the courage to resist” where is he going ” surrender ? “, asks the octogenarian.

“Techno-industrial complex”

He then tackles the“oligarchy taking shape” in America and “dangerous concentration of power in the hands of a handful of ultra-rich people”, including Donald Trump but also his relatives like Elon Musk, the richest man in the world who financed the Republican’s campaign and obtained a position in his administration.

Citing his predecessor Dwight D. Eisenhower (1953-1961) who had warned in his farewell speech about the risks of “military-industrial complex” et “the potential disastrous rise of a power that is out of place”Joe Biden in turn warned against “the potential rise of a tech-industrial complex that can pose real dangers to our country”.

The democrat then clarifies his thoughts. He mentions in particular “the avalanche of disinformation” under which the Americans are “ buried » which risks leading to a “ abuse of power ». He also deplores the “social networks that renounce fact checking” like Facebook, and ” lies “ who only serve the interests “power and profit”.

Biden pleads for an independent press and justice

Positioning himself as a direct opponent of Donald Trump who continues to criticize justice “partial” and the media “corrupted” in the pay of Washington, Joe Biden also insists on the importance of maintaining an independent judicial system and “a free press”. On the environment, Joe Biden is worried about “powerful forces” who want to call into question environmental protection while the real estate mogul is openly climate skeptic.

In a final attack on Donald Trump, he proposes“amend the constitution to clarify that no president is immune from the crimes he commits during his mandate”. The billionaire has evaded every federal case he has been targeted in since his election, from classified documents found at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida to his involvement in trying to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election .

Joe Biden, who also takes the opportunity to defend his economic record, thank his vice-president Kamala Harris, and declare his love for his wife Jill, finally wishes “from success to the incoming administration”. A sentence as a final blow to Donald Trump, who affirms that the transition is not peaceful… while he himself refused to recognize the results of 2020 which gave rise to the assault on the Capitol by his supporters.

It is nevertheless on a note of hope and optimism for the American people that Joe Biden ends this speech of around fifteen minutes, which also marks the end of more than 50 years of political career: “May you all be keepers of the flame, may you keep the faith. I love America. You love it too. »

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