After leaving angry and defeated one morning in January 2021, Donald Trump returns triumphantly and determined to reshape the very structure of the state, based on the individuals he has announced he will appoint. Trump will meet with Joe Biden at the White House today, as Biden has promised a smooth transition.
The outgoing Democratic president is set to meet with his Republican predecessor and successor at 11:00 a.m. local time (6:00 p.m. Cyprus time) in the Oval Office, where Trump, now 78, will return following his inauguration on January 20, 2025.
Joe Biden promised last week, following Trump’s sweeping victory, to ensure a “peaceful and orderly” transfer of power.
The outgoing president “believes in rules, believes in institutions,” said his spokesperson Karine Jean-Pierre yesterday.
Trump’s visit to the White House is expected to be a humiliating experience for the Democrat, who knows that much of the policy he adopted will be reversed by Trump’s team.
Trump has already begun announcing some names for key roles in his new administration, including the world’s richest man, Elon Musk, who will lead a new Ministry of Government Efficiency along with businessman Vivek Ramaswamy.
If these three Republicans agree, they may proceed with drastic cuts to the US federal budget.
For Trump, the meeting with Biden will also be tinged with revenge.
Trump closed the White House door behind him on January 20, 2020, just hours before Biden’s inauguration, and did not attend the inauguration ceremony.
The Republican also did not organise a similar White House visit for Biden when he was declared the winner of the 2020 presidential election, breaking a long-standing tradition in Washington.
Trump continues to believe there was election fraud in 2020.
According to Mike Johnson, the Republican Speaker of the House of Representatives, Trump may also visit the Capitol today. His party has already won control of the Senate and is on track to win the House majority.
With the Supreme Court having taken a conservative turn following the appointment of three conservative justices during Trump’s first presidency, the Republican will have freedom of movement in his second term.
Source: ANA-MPA