US President Joe Biden insisted on the need to “lower” political tensions in a country on edge, during a speech from the White House, his first since the Republican’s victory in the election.
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The 81-year-old outgoing president, who in July reluctantly gave up his place as candidate to his vice-president, began his speech shortly after 11:20 a.m. from the Rose Garden of the White House.
He said the transition of power would be “peaceful and orderly” with the new president-elect.
Donald Trump, 45e and soon 47e President of the United States, was congratulated by Joe Biden who defeated him in November 2020, by Barack Obama whom he succeeded and by Kamala Harris.
“Peaceful” transition
In a solemn speech, Joe Biden pledged Thursday to ensure a “peaceful and orderly” transition with Donald Trump, his predecessor and soon-to-be successor in the White House, whose return is a terrible humiliation for him.
“I hope that no matter who we vote for, we can see ourselves as fellow citizens and not as adversaries. Lower the temperature” in a country on edge, he said during this first speech since the Republican’s resounding victory in the presidential election.
Speaking in the Rose Garden of the White House, he tried to raise the morale of the ministers and advisers sitting opposite him, who applauded and gave him a standing ovation.
“It’s a difficult moment. You suffer […] Don’t forget everything we have accomplished. It was a historic presidency,” assured the octogenarian head of state, whose economic and diplomatic record could be largely unraveled by his successor.
“We lost this battle, but the America you dream of demands that you get back up,” said Joe Biden, who ends fifty years of political life with a planetary humiliation.
The outgoing president left his place as candidate in July to his vice-president Kamala Harris. He is accused in his camp of having allowed the resounding return of Donald Trump, this sworn enemy whom he painted as a danger to democracy, by clinging too long to a hopeless candidacy.
Joe Biden invited the Republican to the White House on an unspecified date to prepare for the arrival of the next administration, in which controversial figures such as Elon Musk or Robert F. Kennedy Jr. could play important roles.
“We lost this battle”
The Republican, who never acknowledged his defeat in 2020 and who had shunned Joe Biden’s inauguration ceremony, “is looking forward to this meeting,” according to his team.
Kamala Harris also pledged to “help” him with the transfer of power.
Donald Trump, who will be sworn in on January 20, and who spent the last three months of the campaign insulting his rival, found in her “strength, professionalism and tenacity”, according to his team.
The New York real estate magnate – target during the campaign of two assassination attempts, charged and sentenced in criminal and civil cases – has 74 days to put his government team in place.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr., nephew of the assassinated president and former independent candidate aligned with Donald Trump, could be entrusted with responsibilities in terms of public health.
Notoriously critical of vaccination, he assured Thursday on NBC that he “would not take away anyone’s vaccines” but judged that Americans should be able to “decide individually”.
“RFK” also repeated its criticism of the addition of fluoride to drinking water.
Donald Trump’s victory
No one knows what role he will play with Donald Trump. His first mandate had been a waltz of ministers and advisors who successively fell into disgrace.
Another key figure is expected to be billionaire Elon Musk, who campaigned very actively for him. The president-elect could charge the richest man in the world with fundamentally reorganizing the federal administration.
Having left in chaos in January 2021, the 78-year-old tribune achieved an incredible comeback by convincing a majority that he understood the socio-economic and security concerns of everyday life.
Donald Trump promised Americans to tackle inflation and “steal jobs from other countries” through tax cuts and customs duties.
Beijing warned there would be “no winners in a trade war” with Washington.
He inherits a robust economy and low unemployment, an environment that is expected to see the US central bank, the Fed, announce a further rate cut on Thursday.
The unpredictable Republican also promised during his campaign mass expulsions of migrants and spoke of a purge of the federal administration, as well as legal proceedings against his opponents.
Donald Trump will be able to rely on the Senate, which the Republicans took back from the Democrats. His party is also on track to maintain a majority in the House of Representatives.
This would give him, counting the conservative majority he has built on the Supreme Court, almost full powers.
See his speech above.
