Biden to meet with Trump at the White House 4 years after being denied same honor
WASHINGTON – President Joe Biden and President-elect Donald Trump will meet on Wednesday in the Oval Office after years of bitter rivalry, and after Trump denied Biden the same honor when he became president.
Biden offered congratulations and an invitation to the White House to Trump, four years after an acrimonious presidential transition marked by Trump’s refusal to concede defeat and after repeated debunked claims from Trump that the 2020 election was stolen. Trump broke with a number of ceremonial traditions as Biden took office, including skipping the inauguration in Washington, just weeks after he incited a mob to attack the U.S. Capitol and block certification of the election.
The meeting scheduled for next week comes after Biden has said for years that Trump was a threat to American democracy and that Biden's ultimately failed quest to stop Trump represented a battle for the soul of the nation.
The meeting will take place at 11:00 a.m., Biden press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said in a statement.
Trump won the presidential election on Tuesday with at least 301 electoral college votes.
The move from Biden is a step toward restoring some of the routine optics that take place during presidential transitions ? in addition to placing a congratulatory call he has also pledged to attend Trump's inauguration in January. “President Biden expressed his commitment to ensuring a smooth transition and emphasized the importance of working to bring the country together," the White House said in a statement Wednesday about the phone call.
Biden also called Vice President Kamala Harris last Wednesday to congratulate her on running a historic campaign. Harris conceded the election to Trump and promised to assist in the peaceful transfer of power to Republicans.
Trump Campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung said in a statement that “President Trump looks forward to the meeting, which will take place shortly, and very much appreciated the call.”
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Biden and Trump to meet Wednesday after years of bitter rivalry