President Joe Biden welcomed President-elect Donald Trump to the Oval Office on Wednesday morning, extending a traditional courtesy that he did not receive from Trump four years ago. “Congratulations, and looking forward to having a, like I said, a smooth transition. We’ll do everything we can to make sure you’re accommodated,” Biden said as the two men shook hands. “Welcome back.”
Trump thanked Biden and added: “Politics is tough, and it’s, in many cases, not a very nice world, but it is a nice world today.” Trump also said the transition would be “as smooth as it can get,” though he and his team have yet to sign the standard paperwork and ethics pledge that would enable additional transition planning and allow Trump’s officials to start participating in national security and other agency briefings.
The White House meeting between the two presidents took place after Trump held a celebratory meeting with House Republicans at a Capitol Hill hotel. House Speaker Mike Johnson welcomed Trump as the “comeback king.”
Trump, who was accompanied on the trip by billionaire “first buddy” Elon Musk, was greeted with a standing ovation. “This is a very nice gathering,” the president-elect said to start his remarks. “Isn’t it nice to win?”
As the press was being led out of the room, Trump reportedly joked: “I suspect I won't be running again unless you do something else, unless you say he's so good we've got to figure something out.”
