In the waning days of both his presidency and likely his political career, President Joe Biden gave a farewell address to the American people on January 15, 2025.
The 17-minute, 2400-word speech gave thanks to political allies, recounted developments over his four years in the Oval Office and recapped his divisive presidency while calling for the American people to “stand guard” and “withstand the fury of stormy weather” in America’s near future.
Biden leaves behind strained relationships with a number of key figures in the Democratic Party.
These include former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and former President Barack Obama, both figures Biden privately has felt either failed him during his second presidential run or played part in pushing him out of the 2024 race.
Biden’s legacy is no less complicated in the eyes of the American people; with some feeling he is leaving behind one of the greatest presidencies in recent history, while others feel his term could not end any sooner.
While Biden followed through on a number of his campaign promises, such as health reforms, containing the COVID-19 pandemic and student-loan forgiveness, many other promises including the elimination of cash bail and further controls of automated weapons went unsolved.
President-elect Donald Trump, former President and now a convicted felon, will be inaugurated as the 47th President of the United States on Monday, January 20, 2025 at 12 p.m. ET.