Trump confirmed the existence of the letter after being questioned by Fox News correspondent Peter Doocy. “He may have. Don’t they leave it in the desk? I don’t know,” Trump told Doocy before finding the letter. “Thank you, Peter. It could have been years before we found this thing.”
Trump described the letter to reporters as a “very nice letter.” He added, “It was a little bit of an inspirational-type letter. Enjoy it, do a good job. Important, very important. How important the job is.” Trump further remarked, “It was a positive, for him, in writing it. I appreciated the letter.”
Biden has previously stated that the contents of the letter he received from Trump, as well as his own letter to Trump, are private. The tradition of leaving a letter for one’s successor began with Ronald Reagan in 1989.
What Biden wrote in the letter
According to the Fox News, Biden’s letter read, “Dear President Trump, As I take leave of this sacred office I wish you and your family all the best in the next four years. The American people — and people around the world — look to this house for steadiness in the inevitable storms of history, and my prayer is that in the coming years will be a time of prosperity, peace, and grace for our nation. May God bless you and guide you as He has blessed and guided our beloved country since our founding.”
The letter was signed “Joe Biden 1-20-25.”
