‘Welcome again’: Trump, Biden shake palms in White Home

US President Joe Biden meets with US President-elect Donald Trump within the Oval Workplace of the White Home in Washington, DC, on November 13, 2024. | Photograph by SAUL LOEB / AFP

WASHINGTON, United States — Donald Trump made a triumphant return to the White Home on Wednesday, the place outgoing President Joe Biden provided a present of civility to the bitter rival who denied him the identical courtesy 4 years in the past.

Trump’s go to got here as Republicans had been declared the bulk get together within the Home of Representatives to provide him full management of Congress – and as he introduced a string of hardline picks for his high crew, together with firebrand Matt Gaetz as legal professional common.

The US president and president-elect shook palms in entrance of a roaring hearth within the Oval Workplace, with Biden restoring a practice that Trump broke when he refused to acknowledge his 2020 defeat by Biden.

“Welcome again,” Biden, 81, mentioned as he congratulated the 78-year-old Trump – the person he has repeatedly branded a hazard to democracy – and pledged a easy switch of energy.

Biden, who dropped out of the election in July however noticed his successor Kamala Harris lose to Trump final week, mentioned he would do “every little thing we will to be sure you’re accommodated.”

READ: Trump shapes crew forward of White Home return

As the 2 presidents with a mixed age of 159 years shook palms, Biden appeared to look down, whereas Trump leaned ahead and regarded him within the eyes.

Trump riled up a mob that attacked the US Capitol in 2021 and ran a brutal and divisive election marketing campaign this 12 months – however sought to strike a courteous tone on his return go to to the White Home.

‘Politics is hard’

“Politics is hard, and in lots of instances it’s not a really good world. It’s a good world at the moment and I respect it very a lot,” mentioned Trump, the forty fifth US president and shortly to be the forty seventh.

Trump added that the switch of energy could be “easy as you will get.”

White Home spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre later mentioned the talks lasted almost two hours and had been “very cordial, very gracious.”

Biden particularly careworn to Trump, who has been skeptical about US help for Ukraine, the necessity to stand with Kyiv towards Russia, Nationwide Safety Advisor Jake Sullivan mentioned.

Trump will, nevertheless, have nearly full management over the levers of the US authorities, after the Republicans added to their management of the Senate with a majority within the US Home of Representatives.

The billionaire tycoon is now shifting quick to nominate a crew – with ultra-loyalists taking key posts.

Hours after the well mannered present of the Biden assembly, Trump named right-wing Florida lawmaker Gaetz as his high authorized official, rewarding the loyalty of a staunch ally who has defended him in his court docket battles and impeachment fights.

He additionally named former Democratic congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard – who has opposed US help for Ukraine and met Syria’s president Bashar al-Assad – as his incoming director of nationwide intelligence.

Trump mentioned Gaetz would “finish Weaponized Authorities” in a put up broadly seen as an indicator of how strongly the president-elect will search authorized retribution towards his opponents.

Gaetz, nevertheless, faces a stormy affirmation course of, as he nonetheless faces a US congressional ethics panel probe into allegations of intercourse trafficking and having intercourse with a minor.

Third Trump time period?

In a extra standard choose, Trump on Wednesday named Florida senator and China hawk Marco Rubio as his Secretary of State.

However his nomination of Fox Information host Pete Hegseth as his protection secretary on Tuesday has additionally raised eyebrows, given the previous veteran’s lack of expertise in managing something on the size of the world’s strongest navy.

Trump has in the meantime named the world’s richest man and key ally Elon Musk as head of a brand new group aimed toward slashing authorities spending.

Area X, Tesla, and X boss Musk accompanied Trump to Washington on Wednesday from Florida, the place the president has spent the week for the reason that election at his Mar-a-Lago resort.

Assembly Republicans at a Washington lodge forward of the White Home assembly, an ebullient Trump steered that he may even be open to a 3rd time period in workplace – which might violate the US structure.

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