Five years after it was left in the Oval Office, the letter Donald Trump wrote to Joe Biden on January 20, 2021, has been made public, revealing an unusual exchange between the two political rivals.
The document contains a friendly message, good wishes and advice for the new president, in sharp contrast to the attacks Trump had directed at Biden during the 2020 campaign and after his election defeat.
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The New York Times reports that the letter appears in full in Joe Biden’s new book, “Promise Me, America.” The newspaper has also seen a copy of the original document, which was placed in an envelope marked “For 46,” a reference to Biden as the 46th president of the United States.
Written on official White House stationery and signed by Trump in black ink, the letter expresses his belief that Biden would remain true to himself and the American people.
“Many presidents have come and gone, governing simply as Republicans or Democrats. For the most part, they did not change history but were simply swept along by its relentless current. That will not happen to you, because I know how much you love the American people,” Trump wrote.
In his book, Biden describes the moment he found the message in the presidential office. He says it felt as though he were confronting “two Donald Trumps”: one who had undermined American democracy and failed to respect the tradition of transferring power, and another whose letter contained warm words like those an old friend might use.
During the 2020 presidential race, Trump had called Biden the worst candidate in the history of the United States. He had questioned Biden’s abilities and accused him of corruption.
After Biden’s victory, Trump refused to accept the election result. His supporters attacked the Capitol on January 6, 2021, while Trump himself did not attend his successor’s inauguration, breaking an important presidential tradition.
Despite that history, Trump wished Biden success in his letter and reminded him of the immense weight of the American presidency.
Another episode Biden describes concerns their meeting after Trump’s victory in the 2024 presidential election. On that occasion, too, the Republican adopted an unexpectedly friendly tone.
According to Biden’s account, Trump told him: “You know, Joe, if it weren’t for politics, I think we would be good friends.”
That remark, like the 2021 letter, stands in stark contrast to the clashes and fierce rivalry that have marked the political relationship between the two presidents.
Biden’s book is being published at a difficult time for the former president. Since leaving office, he has been diagnosed with an aggressive form of prostate cancer that has spread to his bones.
Biden has announced that his medical treatment will limit his public appearances during the book’s promotion.
Trump ended the letter with a wish for Biden and his wife, Jill:
“God bless you and Jill, and God bless America!
Respectfully,
Donald.”
