Joe Biden prolonged a gesture of civility to his bitter rival, Donald Trump, welcoming him again to the White House on Wednesday, a courtesy Trump had withheld 4 years earlier.
The U.S. president and president-elect shook fingers earlier than a crackling fireplace within the Oval Office, pledging a clean transition – a pointy distinction to Trump’s refusal to acknowledge his 2020 loss.
“Welcome back,” Biden, 81, stated as he congratulated the 78-year-old Trump and supplied temporary opening remarks to the person he has repeatedly slammed as a menace to democracy.
Biden, who dropped out of the election in July however noticed his successor, Kamala Harris, lose to Trump final week, stated he was “looking forward to having a smooth transition” and pledged to do “everything we can to make sure you’re accommodated.”
As the 2 presidents, with a mixed age of 159 years, shook fingers, Biden appeared to look down whereas Trump leaned ahead and seemed him within the eyes.
Trump riled up a mob that attacked the U.S. Capitol in 2021 and ran a brutal and divisive election marketing campaign this yr, however sought to strike a gracious tone on his return go to to the White House.
“Politics is tough, and in many cases it’s not a very nice world. It is a nice world today, and I appreciate it very much,” Trump stated.
Trump added that the switch of energy could be “smooth as you can get” – even though his transition crew has not but signed some key authorized paperwork forward of his inauguration as president on Jan. 20.
No Melania
Absent from the event was incoming first woman Melania Trump, who was a shadowy presence on the marketing campaign path and spent a lot of Trump’s first time period away from the White House.
Outgoing first woman Jill Biden joined Biden in welcoming Trump and “gave Mr. Trump a handwritten letter of congratulations for Mrs. Trump,” the White House stated.
The solely different individuals within the room for talks after the handshake had been Biden’s chief of workers, Jeff Zients, and Trump’s incoming chief of workers, Susie Wiles, the White House stated.
Biden was anticipated to push in the course of the assembly for Trump to proceed U.S. assist for Ukraine’s battle towards Russia, which the Republican has known as into query.
Biden’s Oval Office invitation restored a presidential transition custom that Trump tore up when he misplaced the 2020 election, refusing to sit down down with Biden and even attend the inauguration.
But by the point Trump took his final flight from the White House garden on Jan. 20, 2021, he had additionally been repudiated by many in his personal celebration for having stoked the assault on the Capitol.
That interval of shame quickly evaporated, nonetheless, as Republicans returned to Trump’s facet, recognizing the billionaire’s distinctive electoral energy on the head of his right-wing motion.
Third time period?
Trump enters his second time period with a near-total grip on his celebration and is anticipated to take each chambers of Congress, whereas the Democrats are in disarray.
Ahead of the White House go to, Trump addressed Republicans from the House of Representatives at a Washington lodge.
An ebullient Trump urged that he might even be open to a 3rd time period in workplace – which might violate the U.S. Constitution.
“I suspect I won’t be running again unless you say, ‘He’s good, we got to figure something else,’” he stated, drawing some laughter.
Former actuality TV star Trump, who has promised to be a “dictator on day one,” is shifting rapidly to fill out his administration, choosing a bunch of ultra-loyalists.
He was accompanied on the assembly with Republicans by the world’s richest man, Elon Musk, whom he named on Tuesday as head of a brand new group geared toward slashing authorities spending.
He additionally nominated Fox News host and Army veteran Pete Hegseth as his incoming protection secretary. An opponent of so-called “woke” ideology within the armed forces, Hegseth has little expertise managing the world’s strongest army.
Trump named South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem – an ally who famously wrote about taking pictures her canine as a result of it didn’t reply to coaching – as head of the Department of Homeland Security.
Source: www.dailysabah.com