Trump bids farwell, prays for Biden’s success

Praying for the success of Joe Biden in keeping America safe and prosperous, outgoing United States President Donald Trump, in his farewell address, said that that now more than ever, Americans must unify around their shared values and rise above partisan rancour to forge their common destiny.

Trump in a pre-recorded video message released on January 19, said to serve as the President has been an honour beyond description. Thank you for this extraordinary privilege. And that’s what it is — a great privilege and a great honour, he said.

“This week, we inaugurate a new administration for its success in keeping America safe and prosperous,” the Republican president said in the video remarks. “We extend our best wishes, and we also want them to have luck – a very important word.”

However, Trump declined to acknowledge Democrat President-elect Biden as his successor. The outgoing president is not meeting with Biden before the Democrat’s inauguration at 8.30pm on Wednesday and instead plans to fly to Florida, where he is expected to reside after his White House term.

In his video that lasted nearly 20 minutes, Trump addressed the US Capitol siege by his supporters on January 6, which is considered as one of the darkest days in the history of American democracy. “All Americans were horrified by the assault on our Capitol. Political violence is an attack on everything we cherish as Americans. It can never be tolerated. Now, more than ever, we must unify around our shared values and rise above the partisan rancour, and forge our common destiny”, Trump said.

Donald Trump campaigned on a pledge to “Make America Great Again”, but his track record says otherwise with nearly 4,00,000 people dead of the coronavirus whose risk he downplayed, an economy struggling from the pandemic, and relationships strained with the key US allies.

Democrat President-elect Joe Biden will swear in as the 46th president of the United States on Wednesday. Trump, earlier, has said that he won’t be attending the inauguration of his successor. Kamala Harris would be sworn in as the Vice President of the US. Outgoing Vice President Mike Pence would be present during the inaugural ceremony at the Capitol Hill, facing the majestic National Mall.

Joe Biden won the November 3 election with 306 Electoral College votes to Trump’s 232.