US President Joe Biden welcomed President-elect Donald Trump back to the White House Wednesday, November 13, for a nearly two-hour meeting as part of the transition process following his election victory.
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre called the meeting “substantive,” and said the two men discussed national security and domestic policy issues, and Mr. Biden raised important items on Congress’ to-do list. At the top of the meeting, with reporters present for only a moment, the two men shook hands.
“Well Mr. President-elect and former president, Donald, congratulations, and looking forward to having, like we said, a smooth transition,” Mr. Biden said, speaking first. Mr. Biden told Trump that his administration will accommodate the president-elect’s needs. “Welcome, welcome back.”
“Thank you very much, and politics is tough, and it’s, many cases, not a very nice world, but it is a nice world today, and I appreciate very much a transition that’s so smooth, it’ll be as smooth as it can get,” Trump responded.
Mr. Biden responded, “you’re welcome.”
Mr Trump added: “Politics is tough, and it’s many cases not a very nice world, but it is a nice world today, and I appreciate very much a transition that’s so smooth it’ll be as smooth as it can get, and I very much appreciate that, Joe.”
The last time Mr Trump and Mr Biden met in person was for the presidential debate on 27 June, when the Democrat’s gaffes cost him his candidacy.
The meeting began shortly after 11 a.m. ET, after Trump spoke to House Republicans. White House chief of staff Jeff Zients and incoming White House chief of staff Susie Wiles are also in the meeting, the White House said.
The meeting follows the longstanding tradition of outgoing presidents meeting their successors to discuss a smooth transition from one administration to the other.
However, Republican Mr Trump failed to give the same opportunity to Mr Biden in 2020 as he refused to accept his defeat against his Democratic rival.