Will Joe Biden leave a ‘very generous letter’ for Donald Trump? Know what happened 4 years back

President Joe Biden is expected to leave a letter for Donald Trump in the Oval Office, just like what the Republican leader did four years back.

Updated on: Jan 20, 2025, 19:51:53 IST

By Shweta Kukreti

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The US is set to witness U-turn in what happened four years back. This time, President Joe Biden is expected to leave a letter for Donald Trump in the Oval Office, just like what the Republican leader did.

Biden never made the content of Trump's letter public, but he described it as a “very generous letter” despite considering it private. (AP)

According to sources who spoke to CNN, 82-year-old Biden intends to leave a letter for Trump on the Resolute Desk in the Oval Office before leaving the White House today.

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After declining to attend Biden's 2021 inauguration, Trump wrote a letter to the former as part of the presidential rite of passage.

Biden never made the content of the letter public, but he described it as a “very generous letter” despite considering it private.

Speaking about the same, Trump stated it was completely Biden's choice to share the letter. “It was a nice note,” he said in NBC's 2023 Meet the Press, adding, “I took a lot of time in thinking about it.”

When Barack Obama left a letter for Trump

Trump was reportedly surprised with the letter that Barack Obama wrote to him in 2017, when he first took over the oval office.

Obama, who had actively opposed Trump throughout the 2016 campaign, complimented him on a “remarkable run” and shared some insights from his eight years experience in the office.

Trump later called Obama as soon as he saw the letter as he was so overwhelmed by the ex-president's gesture. However, the two couldn't connect since Obama was flying to California.

The practice of writing a presidential letter began when President Ronald Reagan, after two terms in office, wrote a note congratulating his successor, Vice President George H. W. Bush, on his appointment as Commander-in-Chief.

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Biden to hold tea reception for Trump

This morning, Biden will host a tea gathering to greet Trump upon his return to the White House and then take him to the Capitol for the inauguration.

Biden is likely to become the first president to write a letter to the same person he got one from.

Trump will be the first president to hold office for nonconsecutive terms since Grover Cleveland in the late 1800s, when the custom of writing letters did not even exist.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Shweta Kukreti
Shweta Kukreti has over 8 years of experience in covering Indian and world politics. She joined the Hindustan Times in 2024 and is primarily assigned to the US desk. She currently works as Deputy Chief Content Producer and reports on a wide range of topics, including US politics, immigration issues (especially H-1B visa) and major global events. Shweta strongly emphasizes team operations, which encompasses monitoring news, delegating tasks, editing, developing comprehensive coverage strategies, and crafting engaging, and data-informed narratives. She received the Digi Star Award at the Hindustan Times within a year of joining for her broad coverage of US politics. In 2025, she earned both a promotion and a redesignation, a significant achievement recognising her contributions and the strong value she brings to the team. She has previously worked with the Indian Express, HTDS, ANI and Republic World. Seniors in all the media organisations recognised her work. Regarding education, she earned a BA (Hons.) in Political Science and a master's degree from Delhi University, and she pursued a PG Diploma in English Journalism from the Indian Institution of Mass Communication (IIMC). She also holds a diploma in Women's Empowerment and Development from IGNOU University and a French certification course from Alliance Française de Delhi. If not working, you can find her exploring the hills and engaging in adventurous activities in Rishikesh and Himachal Pradesh. She loves to play badminton, volleyball, and chess, and spend time with her friends and family. She also enjoys spiritual activities.Read More

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