WASHINGTON, Nov 14 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Donald Trump made a triumphant return to the White House on Wednesday, where outgoing President Joe Biden offered a show of civility to the bitter rival who denied him the same courtesy four years ago.
Trump’s visit came as Republicans were declared the majority party in the House of Representatives to give him complete control of Congress – and as he announced a string of hardline picks for his top team including firebrand Matt Gaetz as attorney general.
The US president and president-elect shook hands in front of a roaring fire in the Oval Office, with Biden restoring a tradition that Trump broke when he refused to recognize his 2020 defeat by Biden.
“Welcome back,” Biden, 81, said as he congratulated the 78-year-old Trump – the man he has repeatedly branded a danger to democracy – and pledged a smooth transfer of power.
Biden, who dropped out of the election in July but saw his successor Kamala Harris lose to Trump last week, said he would do “everything we can to make sure you’re accommodated”.
As the two presidents with a combined age of 159 years shook hands, Biden appeared to look down, while Trump leaned forward and looked him in the eyes.
Trump riled up a mob that attacked the US Capitol in 2021 and ran a brutal and divisive election campaign this year – but sought to strike a courteous tone on his return visit to the White House.
“Politics is tough, and in many cases it’s not a very nice world. It is a nice world today and I appreciate it very much,” said Trump, the 45th US president and soon to be the 47th.
Trump added that the transfer of power would be “smooth as you can get”.
White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre later said the talks lasted nearly two hours and were “very cordial, very gracious”.
Trump will have almost complete control over the levers of the US government after the Republicans added to their control of the Senate with a majority in the US House of Representatives.
Meeting Republicans at a Washington hotel ahead of the White House meeting, an ebullient Trump suggested that he could even be open to a third term in office – which would violate the US constitution.
“I suspect I won’t be running again unless you say, ‘He’s good, we got to figure something else,'” he said, drawing some laughter. — NNN-AGENCIES
