Former president and now President-elect Donald Trump made his return to the White House on Wednesday for the first time since last week’s election victory and met with his former rival, Joe Biden, to discuss the upcoming transfer of power.
This was the first time the two men have been together since Trump wiped the floor with Biden at their first and only debate in June, which resulted in Democrat Party leaders forcing Biden out of the 2024 presidential election.
BREAKING: President-elect Donald Trump meets with President Joe Biden in the White House:
— Charlie Kirk (@charliekirk11) November 13, 2024
BIDEN: “I look forward to having a smooth transition…welcome.”
TRUMP: “Politics is tough, and in many cases not a very nice world, but it is a nice world today.” pic.twitter.com/x4oQDsaG9K
Reuters has more.
"Welcome, welcome back," Biden told Trump at the start of their meeting in front of a roaring fireplace.
He promised Trump a smooth transition of power and to do all he could "to make sure you're accommodated."
"It'll be as smooth as it can get," Trump said.
It was a sharp contrast to the criticism the two men have hurled at each other for years. Their respective teams hold vastly different positions on policies from climate change to Russia to trade.
Biden, 81, has portrayed Trump as a threat to democracy, while Trump, 78, has portrayed Biden as incompetent. Trump made false claims of widespread fraud after losing the 2020 election to Biden.
Trump's motorcade rolled through the heavily guarded White House gate and the former and future Republican president was greeted in the Oval Office by Biden, a Democrat who defeated him in the 2020 election.
Outside on the White House driveway, a massive crowd of journalists gathered in anticipation of the big event.
Trump celebrated his victory earlier in the day with Republicans in the House of Representatives who have a good chance of maintaining control of the chamber as Nov. 5 election results trickle in.
"Isn't it nice to win? It's nice to win. It's always nice to win," Trump said. "The House did very well."
But the bigger story to me is not so much what they said in front of the cameras.
Have you ever seen Joe Biden this happy since he was forced out of the election by his own party? pic.twitter.com/kZ4b4qrdDT
— Matt Margolis (@mattmargolis) November 13, 2024
Could Joe Biden look any happier? Seriously, this is not the face of a man who is upset with the outcome of the election. I've been saying for months now that Joe Biden didn't want Kamala Harris to win, and if you needed proof, this photo is it.
Lots of people noticed.
This is the happiest I’ve EVER seen Biden 😂 pic.twitter.com/yfmTdXruB4
— Proud Elephant 🇺🇸🦅 (@ProudElephantUS) November 13, 2024
Man, President Biden sure seems happy to hang out with Hitler... pic.twitter.com/OIv4uJztU4
— Michael Knowles (@michaeljknowles) November 13, 2024
Have you ever seen Biden so happy? 🤣 pic.twitter.com/n2Vsklxebd
— Dr. Eli David (@DrEliDavid) November 13, 2024
He definitely voted for Trump.
— Mark Mitchell, Rasmussen Reports (@Mark_R_Mitchell) November 13, 2024
Look how happy Biden is man. pic.twitter.com/4JQ3pDgaza
— johnny maga (@_johnnymaga) November 13, 2024
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