Biden Welcomes Trump to White House Ahead of Inauguration

Biden and Trump exchange brief remarks before they walked inside the building, restoring the traditions around a peaceful transfer of power.

Mon Jan 20 2025
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WASHINGTON: US President Joe Biden welcomed his successor Donald Trump to the White House for a courtesy visit on Monday, ahead of the latter’s inauguration as the 47th president of the United States.

Accompanied by First Lady Jill Biden, the outgoing president welcomed Trump and his wife Melania, exchanging brief remarks before they walked inside the building.

The meeting is a stark contrast to four years ago, when Trump refused to acknowledge Biden’s election victory or attend his inauguration.

This time around, the incoming and outgoing presidents will travel in the same car as they join a motorcade to depart for the Capitol later this afternoon.

“Welcome home!” Biden told his successor upon Trumps’ arrival. The four will then ride to the US Capitol together for the swearing-in ceremony.

Following tradition, the presidential tea time is how the Obamas welcomed the Trump family to the White House in 2017, when outgoing President Barack Obama and outgoing first lady Michelle Obama waited on the steps outside 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue as Trump and incoming first lady Melania Trump arrived at the White House.

Such an exchange did not occur in 2021 — which, like now, would have involved the Trump and Biden families, albeit in opposite roles.

Following his loss in the 2020 election, Trump notably did not attend President Biden’s inauguration nor welcome him to the White House, instead flying back to his home state of Florida with his family on Inauguration Day.

It has long been tradition that departing US presidents attend the incoming president’s inauguration and extend the hospitality of a White House visit.

Donald Trump, Joe Biden, White House, US President, Washington

Presidents Biden and Trump began reinforcing the smooth transition between their administrations when met at the White House on November 13, 2024, one week after Trump’s victory in the election against former Vice President Kamala Harris.

At the time, Melania declined Jill’s invitation to join, forcing Jill to send President Trump back with a letter for the incoming first lady instead.

Harris also travelled to the White House on Monday, January 20, with second gentleman Doug Emhoff so that they could participate in the transfer of power and meet with Vice President-elect J.D. Vance and soon-to-be second lady Usha Vance.

Harris and Emhoff will similarly attend the 2025 inauguration despite their disappointment with the 2024 election results.

Trump was seen for the first time in public today when he arrived at St John’s Episcopal Church in Washington DC for a prayer service at 8.45am local time.

The service at the historic church, located across from the White House, was the start of a momentous day for Trump as millions of people around the world watch on.

The Republican and his wife sat in the front row with their son Barron, 18, to their left, and incoming vice president JD Vance and his wife Usha to their right.

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Former British prime minister Boris Johnson, Facebook chief executive Mark Zuckerberg and Amazon boss Jeff Bezos were also spotted sitting in the same row as each other in the church.

The service lasted around 30 minutes. Afterwards, Trump briefly returned to Blair House, often referred to as the “President’s Guest House”, where he stayed on Saturday and Sunday.

The Republican is now hours away from being sworn in as president for a second time after he defeated Democratic candidate and vice president Kamala Harris in the US presidential election in November.

 

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