Biden Pledges ‘Peaceful Transition’ In Oval Office Meeting With Trump

President-elect Donald Trump and President Joe Biden met in the Oval Office just a week after his victory.

“Politics is tough, and in many cases, it’s not a nice world, but it is a nice world today,” said Trump, sitting by the fireplace with Biden.

Biden beat Trump in 2020 and was ready for a rematch this election, but he was forced to drop out in July.

The president congratulated Trump on his triumph: “I look forward to having a smooth transition.” Trump responded, “It will be as smooth as it can get, and I very appreciate that, Joe.”

Reporters were escorted out of the room after the first few minutes of the meeting, which lasted about two hours. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said the meeting was cordial. Trump came with questions, and Biden gave his thoughts. She said, “There was a very good back-and-forth.”

The two leaders discussed foreign policy, domestic issues and what Biden wants Congress to do during the lame-duck period, including government funding and the disaster supplemental package.

National security adviser Jake Sullivan told reporters that Biden believes the U.S. should not walk away from Ukraine to avoid getting dragged directly into a war. Sullivan also said his team is prepared to work with Trump’s administration to ensure the release of hostages held by Hamas.

First Lady Jill Biden greeted Trump when he arrived at the White House with a handwritten letter for his wife, Melania Trump. Given the history between the president-elect and the current president, the White House meeting was expected to be awkward, but reports show they handled it gracefully.