President Joe Biden appeared in good health and high spirits Wednesday morning as he sat with President-elect Donald Trump. The two reflected on their often contentious relationship over the years and pledged a peaceful transition of power in January in a scene that likely did not sit well with Trump’s vanquished opponent, Vice President Kamala Harris.
A loud chorus of reporters could be heard over the sounds of cameras clicking during the Oval Office sit-down. Both men smiled as President Trump whispered something to Biden, who smiled in response. Press aides worked to manage the chaos, urging reporters to move along. “Let’s go, guys! Keep moving,” shouted one woman, briefly visible on camera.
Before chaos broke out, the two men shook hands and put their animus behind them. “To the president-elect, congratulations, and looking forward, like we said, to a smooth transition. Doing everything to make sure you’re accommodated, [have] what you need, and we’ll get a chance to talk about some of that today.” Trump responded with a nod, “Good. Thank you very much. Politics is tough, and it’s, in many cases, not a 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 appreciate that Joe.”
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The two men have transitioned from fierce political rivals to a place of bipartisan camaraderie, a long and difficult journey that has withstood a bitter debate and even an attempted assassination. Biden, who dropped out of the race in late July, stayed off the campaign trail in recent months while Vice President Kamala Harris stepped in to fill his role on the ticket. At 81, the president and First Lady Jill Biden feel that Harris and other top Democrats sidelined him, to their own disadvantage.
For his part, Trump has acknowledged that he now gets along well with President Biden, given that they are no longer political adversaries. He “didn’t like Biden very much but now I like him quite a bit,” Trump told attendees at last month’s Al Smith dinner, eliciting a roar of laughter from the Catholic audience.
Trump traveled to Washington, D.C. on Wednesday to meet with House Republicans and Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA), where he congratulated members on securing a majority and vowed to bring a renewed sense of purpose to the GOP. “Isn’t it nice to win?” he asked lawmakers. Johnson stated on Tuesday that the House GOP is “ready to deliver” on Trump’s second-term agenda.
House Republicans secured a majority of seats on Tuesday after several additional races were called in their favor. Their victories provide Trump with a clear path to implement his sweeping agenda, which he has promised will overhaul various areas of government, including major changes like eliminating the federal Department of Education. On Wednesday, Senate Republicans will also select their majority leader for the next Congress. In the running are establishment figures John Thune (R-SD) and John Cornyn (R-TX), while Rick Scott (R-FL), a Trump ally with strong support from the MAGA movement, aims to divide his opponents’ votes and emerge victorious.
