WASHINGTON. President Joe Biden will meet with President-elect Donald Trump at the White House on Wednesday to initiate transition discussions, despite an ongoing delay in formalizing handover agreements. The meeting underscores Biden’s commitment to a peaceful transfer of power, a principle often cited as foundational to the American presidency.
Biden, who initially campaigned against Trump in the 2024 election before stepping aside in support of Vice President Kamala Harris as the Democratic nominee, extended the Oval Office invitation to Trump—a gesture Trump himself did not extend to Biden in 2020. White House spokesperson Karine Jean-Pierre emphasized the significance of Biden’s invitation, noting, “He believes in the norms, he believes in our institution, he believes in the peaceful transfer of power. That is what is the norm. That is what is supposed to happen.”
The scheduled meeting marks a rare face-to-face encounter between the two rivals, who have long engaged in pointed criticisms of one another. While Biden, 81, has frequently labeled Trump, 78, as a “threat to democracy,” Trump has accused Biden of incompetence. Trump notably maintained his stance of unproven claims of fraud following the 2020 election, further intensifying the divide between the two leaders.
Ahead of the White House visit, Trump is expected to meet with key Republican lawmakers, including House Speaker Mike Johnson, before sitting down with Biden at 11 a.m. EST. Despite Biden’s aim to convey continuity and respect for the office, the transition process itself is facing setbacks.
The Trump team has yet to sign crucial transition agreements that would facilitate access to government offices, equipment, and personnel. These agreements are part of the standard handover outlined in the Presidential Transition Act, which has governed power transfers since 1963. “The Trump-Vance transition lawyers continue to constructively engage with the Biden-Harris Administration lawyers regarding all agreements contemplated by the Presidential Transition Act,” said Brian Vance, spokesperson for the Trump transition, alluding to ongoing negotiations.
According to Valerie Smith Boyd, director of the Center for Presidential Transition at the Partnership for Public Service, the act also stipulates that transition agreements include ethics pacts. “That needs to be signed for interaction to begin with federal agencies,” she explained. “Everything is hinging on that.”
During the White House meeting, Biden is expected to discuss a range of topics, including foreign policy concerns. In particular, he may urge Trump to maintain support for Ukraine, a U.S. ally currently engaged in a prolonged conflict with Russia. Trump’s stance on Ukraine has raised questions following his victory over Harris, as he has promised to bring a swift end to the war without providing specific details on how he would achieve that goal.
Though specific discussion points were not disclosed, Jean-Pierre declined to elaborate on the agenda, keeping the meeting’s focus under wraps. The meeting, however, will mark the first interaction between Biden and Trump since their June debate, during which Biden’s performance raised concerns within the Democratic Party, contributing to his decision to step down from the race.
This historic White House meeting, taking place in the wake of Harris’s electoral defeat, may set the tone for a challenging transition period, as both administrations navigate ideological and policy divides amid a complex international landscape.
Gary P Hernal started college at UP Diliman and received his BA in Economics from San Sebastian College, Manila, and Masters in Information Systems Management from Keller Graduate School of Management of DeVry University in Oak Brook, IL. He has 25 years of copy editing and management experience at Thomson West, a subsidiary of Thomson Reuters.
