WASHINGTON--U.S. President-elect Donald Trump and President Joe Biden, longtime political rivals, discussed Ukraine and the Middle East on Wednesday in a cordial meeting designed to demonstrate a smooth transfer of power despite deep disagreements over policy.
The two American leaders sat side by side before a roaring fire in the White House Oval Office, a peaceful scene that belied tensions between them. "They discussed important national security and domestic policy issues facing the nation and the world," White House spokesperson Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters. "It was indeed very cordial, very gracious, and substantive." The meeting lasted roughly two hours, she said. Biden argued support for Ukraine was good for U.S. national security because a strong and stable Europe would keep America from being dragged into war, White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan told journalists. Trump has pledged to end the Russia-Ukraine war quickly without saying how. Trump told the New York Post he and Biden "talked very much about the Middle East" during their conversation.
"I wanted to know his views on where we are," the Post quoted Trump as saying. "And he gave them to me, he was very gracious." A Democrat, Biden defeated Trump in the 2020 election but dropped out of the 2024 race in July after a disastrous debate with Trump, a Republican. Vice President Kamala Harris became the candidate but lost to Trump. Both men talked about a smooth transition of power. "Looking forward to having a, like we said, smooth transition - do everything we can to make sure you're accommodated, what you need," Biden told the president-elect. "Welcome, welcome back." Trump, due to take over on Jan. 20, said: "Politics is tough, and it's many cases not a very nice world, but it is a nice world today, and I appreciate it very much - a transition that's so smooth it'll be as smooth as it can get. And I very much appreciate that, Joe."
Reporters shouted questions but were ushered out. The traditional courtesy of welcoming the president-elect into the Oval Office is one that Trump did not extend when Biden won in 2020. The two men have hurled criticism at each other for years. Their respective teams hold vastly different positions on policies from climate change to Russia to trade. Biden, 81, has portrayed Trump as a threat to democracy, while Trump, 78, has portrayed Biden as incompetent.
Trump made false claims of widespread fraud after losing the 2020 election. During the sit-down, Biden pushed his priorities for Congress' lame-duck session, including funding the government and providing additional funds for disaster relief, Jean-Pierre said. Biden's chief of staff Jeff Zients and Trump's, Susie Wiles, also were present. First lady Jill Biden joined Biden in greeting Trump on his arrival. The White House said she gave Trump a handwritten letter of congratulations for his wife, Melania Trump, and expressed her team’s readiness to assist with the transition. Melania Trump's office said on X that she would not attend the White House meeting. "Her husband's return to the Oval Office to commence the transition process is encouraging, and she wishes him great success," it said.
