The White House announced Saturday that President Joe Biden will meet with President-elect Donald Trump in the Oval Office this Wednesday. Biden extended the invitation to Trump following Trump’s decisive victory over Vice President Kamala Harris in last week’s U.S. presidential election.
The meeting is set for 11 a.m. Eastern Time, according to a statement from White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre.
In January, Biden will join a select group of U.S. presidents who have returned power to a predecessor. This has only occurred once before, when President Benjamin Harrison handed the White House back to Grover Cleveland in the 19th century.
In a speech on Thursday, Biden stated that he assured Trump, “I would direct my entire administration to work with his team to ensure a peaceful and orderly transition. That’s what the American people deserve.”
Notably, Trump did not concede the 2020 election or invite Biden for a meeting prior to his departure from office.
Trump, the 78-year-old businessman, secured a broader margin of victory this election. Exit polls indicated that top concerns among voters were the economy and inflation, which surged under Biden in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic.
After stepping out of the race in July due to concerns about his cognitive health at the age of 81, Biden called Trump on Wednesday to congratulate him on his election win.
Amid post-election reflections, Democrats are examining the factors that led to Harris’s decisive loss, with some attributing significant responsibility to Biden.
As Trump prepares for his second term, he has appointed Susie Wiles, his campaign manager, as his incoming White House Chief of Staff. Wiles is the first woman to be named to this prominent role and Trump’s first official appointment for his new administration.
