On Wednesday night, President Joe Biden delivered a farewell address from the Oval Office, focusing on what he sees as critical challenges facing democracy and society, such as the rise of oligarchies, climate change, and certain facets of technology.
He emphasized the need to ensure that artificial intelligence remains safe and trustworthy while expressing concern over the unchecked spread of misinformation and disinformation on social media platforms. In a pointed remark, he criticized these platforms for not fact-checking adequately, seemingly alluding to Meta’s termination of its fact-checking initiative.
Biden extended his well-wishes to the incoming Trump administration, highlighting the transition. “It’s more than just the last four years of his presidency,” explained White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre to reporters. “He’s stepping down from his long-standing career, so naturally, he wants to share a lot on the current state of affairs,” she added.
In a letter previewing his prime-time speech, Biden celebrated ongoing job growth, reduced prescription drug costs, and investments in clean energy as measures to combat climate change. He depicted the early tenure of his administration as a struggle to overcome the challenges presented by the COVID pandemic, which he described as “a winter of peril,” while noting how Americans united and persevered.
“We emerged stronger, more prosperous, and more secure,” Biden affirmed in the letter, also emphasizing his administration’s economic achievements. In last week’s statement, he praised the final monthly jobs report of his presidency, pointing out the creation of over 16.6 million new jobs since he assumed office, claiming it was “the only administration in history to have created jobs every single month.”
There’s a possibility that Biden’s administration could also claim credit for brokering a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas. His farewell address opened with this new agreement, highlighting that its implementation would fall under the incoming Trump administration’s purview. Should the accord, revealed Wednesday afternoon, be enacted as expected this weekend, it would represent a significant milestone in the long-standing conflict that has been a challenging aspect of Biden’s term and has drawn critique from his own political allies.
In his message, Biden refrained from naming President-elect Donald Trump directly, but he alluded to him indirectly. “I ran for president because I felt the soul of America was in jeopardy. The essence of our identity was at stake. That remains true today,” he conveyed.
Jean-Pierre mentioned that Biden aimed to “stay positive” and discuss the achievements during his term, noting the address would “avoid partisanship.” Reflecting on his personal journey, Biden wrote about his modest roots and decades of public service. “No other place on Earth could a child with a stutter from a humble beginning” rise to serve in Congress, as vice president, and eventually in the Oval Office, he remarked. “I have poured my heart and soul into serving our nation, and I’ve been blessed countless times by the love and support of the American people.”
While Biden has not yet detailed his plans after leaving office, three administration officials noted that he and the first lady intend to head straight to Central California for some personal time post-inauguration. Their destination is Santa Barbara County, although wildfires in Los Angeles could potentially alter their plans.
When a reporter asked him about his intentions after stepping down—whether he would remain active or become “out of sight and out of mind”—Biden firmly replied, “I’m not going to be out of sight or out of mind.”
