(Washington) Joe Biden will receive Donald Trump in the Oval Office on Wednesday, who will succeed him on January 20 in the White House, to begin a transfer of power that the Democrat promised would be peaceful with his worst political enemy.
Published at 11:54 a.m.
Updated at 1:26 p.m.
Marion THIBAUT
Agence France-Presse
Two days after the clear victory of the Republican against Kamala Harris, the American president committed to ensuring a “peaceful and orderly” transfer of power.
This meeting at 11 a.m. Wednesday in the Oval Office will be the first step.
“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, Joe Biden explained Thursday during his first speech since the election.
PHOTO GERALD HERBERT, ARCHIVES ASSOCIATED PRESS
President-elect Donald Trump and outgoing President Joe Biden during the presidential debate on June 27
Soundly beaten, the Democratic vice-president also pledged to “help” Donald Trump with the transfer of power.
Remarks which contrast sharply with the attitude of Donald Trump after the 2020 election. The latter refused to recognize his defeat and boycotted Joe Biden’s inauguration ceremony. And his supporters stormed the Capitol, temple of American democracy, to prevent the certification of the Democrat’s victory on January 6, 2021.
Four years later, the real estate mogul, who was the target of two assassination attempts during the campaign, was indicted and sentenced to criminal and civil charges, will make an incredible return to the White House. He now has a little over two months to put his team in place.
His first mandate was marked by a succession of ministers and advisors who successively fell into disgrace. The question now is what the Trump 2 administration will look like.
He made his first major appointment on Thursday: Susie Wiles, architect of his campaign, will be his chief of staff, an ultra-strategic position which had never been occupied by a woman. The rest should be announced in the coming weeks.
PHOTO CHIP SOMODEVILLA, AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
Susie Wiles will be the first woman to serve as chief of staff to the American president.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr., nephew of the assassinated president and former independent candidate aligned with Donald Trump, could be entrusted with responsibilities in public health.
Another key figure is expected to be billionaire Elon Musk, who campaigned very actively for Donald Trump. The president-elect could charge the richest man in the world with profoundly reorganizing the federal administration.
Promise of tax cuts
Passing the keys of the White House to the Republican, on the other hand, will be an immense humiliation for outgoing President Joe Biden, accused by his camp of having, out of pride, facilitated this resounding return.
After weeks of campaign without progress, the latter withdrew from the race in July weighed down by his age, 81, in favor of his vice-president. The latter, who described her opponent as a “fascist” and a “danger to democracy”, failed to convince the Americans that she understood their economic and security concerns.
Voters’ top concern, according to exit polls, was the economy and inflation, which had soared during Mr. Biden’s tenure following the COVID-19 pandemic.
Donald Trump promised Americans to make their lives better through tax cuts and customs duties. The Republican also said he would carry out “massive” expulsions of irregular migrants.
He will be able to rely on the Senate, which the Republicans took back from the Democrats, and possibly on the House of Representatives, where his party is on track to retain the majority.
The vote count is not complete in Arizona, but for the rest, Donald Trump won the other six swing states. And he is almost guaranteed to win the popular vote against Kamala Harris.
He will then be the first Republican president in 20 years to achieve this feat, proving wrong the pollsters who predicted the opposite.
