Watch: Trump Makes Historic Return to DC for White House Meeting With Biden

President-elect Trump traveled to Washington, DC today for the customary meeting signaling the start of a peaceful transition of power following last Tuesday’s election.

It was the first time Trump has been back in the White House since 2021 and the first time since the late 1800s that a president who lost a re-election bid successfully recaptured the office the following cycle.

Trump touched down at Joint Base Andrews just outside the DC beltway before entering a motorcade::

After departing his flight, Trump headed to address Congressional Republicans:

Once complete, the ever-important meeting between the 45th, 46th, and 47th President could take place at the White House, according to NPR News:

Former and future President Donald Trump met with Republicans in Congress and visited his old office today, the Oval Office, making his first trip to Washington since winning the presidential election.

President Biden invited his predecessor and successor for what is a ceremonial tradition meant to signal the desire for a smooth and peaceful transfer of power.

In a very brief photo-op at the beginning of a meeting that lasted almost two hours, the leaders shook hands and Biden congratulated Trump and said he looked forward to a smooth transition.

Trump said: “It will be as smooth as it can get and I very much appreciate that, Joe.”

“Politics is tough and in many cases it’s not a nice world, but it is a nice world today,” Trump said.

The pair met in private for almost an hour but spent a few minutes glad-handing and joking with each other before the media were ushered out:

Biden looks more jovial and relaxed than he has in months. Perhaps he’s relieved the entire ordeal is over but it also seems like he’s content to be the only Democrat to ever defeat Trump for the presidency. In recent weeks, leading up to Election Day, it did not seem like the Biden and Harris teams were functioning well together.

In many ways, Trump’s victory last week was a vindication for Biden who tried to stay in the race back in July but was forcibly pushed out by his own party. Biden probably would’ve lost to Trump anyway but at least with Harris losing, Democrats gained nothing from their palace coup other than more angry voters.

Despite the smiles and jokes, it was just weeks ago that Joe Biden was calling Trump voters “garbage” and spent the past few years trying to put Donald Trump in prison. Few will soon forget the vitriol but to see the two cracking jokes is surely a needed moment for the country.

Then again, do we really know how Joe Biden voted?

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Nate Ashworth

The Founder and Editor-In-Chief of Election Central. He's been blogging elections and politics for over a decade. He started covering the 2008 Presidential Election which turned into a full-time political blog in 2012 and 2016 that continues today.

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