Joe Biden has wrapped up a more than 50-year political career but promised that “we’re not leaving the fight” as he said farewell to the presidency and flew to California to unwind with his family.
He spoke not long after watching his successor, Republican President Donald Trump, pledge during his inaugural address to “completely and totally reverse” everything his Democratic predecessor did.
In the final hours before the transfer of executive power, Mr Biden extended courtesies to the man he turned out of the Oval Office four years ago.
Mr Trump denied losing the 2020 election and refused to offer similar niceties to Mr Biden on his inauguration in 2021.
A bitterly cold day opened with Mr Biden and his wife Jill receiving Mr Trump and his wife Melania for a traditional Inauguration Day meet-and-greet over tea at the White House.
“Welcome home,” Mr Biden told the new president.
Afterwards, the rivals – who share a history of political animosity – rode in a limousine to the Capitol where Mr Trump was sworn in as the 47th president.
“Our recent election is a mandate to completely and totally reverse a horrible betrayal,” Mr Trump said about the work of the Biden administration. Mr Biden sat expressionless in the front row.
As Mr Trump gave his address, residence staff at the White House started clearing out the remainder of Mr Biden’s belongings so they could move Mr Trump and his family back in. The work included redecorating the Oval Office in time for Mr Trump to sign a series of executive orders.
Walls in the press offices that were bare in the morning after most of the staff had ended their government service were decorated by mid-afternoon with fresh photographs of Mr Trump.
After his address, the new president and his wife walked the Bidens outside to a helicopter waiting on the Capitol grounds to fly them to Joint Base Andrews for a farewell event with his staff.
“We couldn’t have done anything we did without you,” Mr Biden told them. “No president gets to choose the moment they enter history, but they get to choose the team they enter history with and we chose the best damn team in the world.”
Even though they may feel “knocked down” by events, he said what is important is how quickly they get back up.
“We’re leaving office. We’re not leaving the fight,” he said, urging them to stay engaged.
He appeared to joke about Trump’s speech, chuckling as he said: “We heard the inaugural address today. We got a lot more to do.”
Mr Biden then made the sign of the cross and everyone laughed.
He and Mrs Biden then walked across the tarmac to the plane he flew on as president for the flight to Santa Ynez in California.
