‘History is in your hands. The power is in your hands,’ Biden said, urging Americans to keep the faith.
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WASHINGTON—As his presidency comes to a close, Joe Biden penned a farewell letter to the American people, reflecting on his four years in office and his decades of public service.
“It has been the privilege of my life to serve this nation for over 50 years,” Biden wrote, marking the end of a political journey that brought him from Scranton to the Oval Office.
“Nowhere else on Earth could a kid with a stutter from modest beginnings in Scranton, Pennsylvania, and Claymont, Delaware, one day sit behind the Resolute Desk in the Oval Office as President of the United States,” Biden wrote. “I have given my heart and my soul to our nation. And I have been blessed a million times in return with the love and support of the American people.”
Biden is also scheduled to deliver a farewell address to the nation from the Oval Office on Jan. 15 at 8 p.m. ET.
It’s a tradition for departing presidents to leave a letter for their successors in the Oval Office. However, Biden chose to pen a letter to the American people as well, following in Barack Obama’s footsteps. In his farewell letter eight years ago, Obama thanked Americans and famously wrote, “You made me a better President, and you made me a better man.”
Ahead of Biden’s farewell speech, the White House released a fact sheet outlining the Biden-Harris administration’s record, highlighting a long list of actions, starting with efforts to combat the pandemic.
“Four years ago, we stood in a winter of peril and a winter of possibilities,” Biden wrote in his letter.
“We were in the grip of the worst pandemic in a century, the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression, and the worst attack on our democracy since the Civil War,” he said, referring to the January 6 Capitol breach.
“But we came together as Americans, and we braved through it. We emerged stronger, more prosperous, and more secure.”
Biden explained that he ran for president four years ago because he believed “the soul of America was at stake.”
“The very nature of who we are was at stake. And, that’s still the case,” he said. “America is an idea stronger than any army and larger than any ocean. It’s the most powerful idea in the history of the world.”
In his letter, Biden also highlighted key accomplishments, offering a preview of his upcoming farewell speech.
“Today, we have the strongest economy in the world and have created a record 16.6 million new jobs. Wages are up. Inflation continues to come down,” he wrote.
“Manufacturing is coming back to America. We’re leading the world again in science and innovation, including the semiconductor industry.”
He also mentioned progress in lowering prescription drug costs for seniors, expanding health insurance coverage, and actions on renewable energy and gun safety.
“History is in your hands. The power is in your hands. The idea of America lies in your hands,” Biden said before ending his letter.
“We just have to keep the faith and remember who we are. We are the United States of America, and there is simply nothing beyond our capacity when we do it together.”
Biden and first lady Jill Biden will attend President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration on Jan. 20.
The outgoing president has indicated that he will continue to work on domestic policy matters after leaving office.
“I’m not going to be out of sight or out of mind,” he jokingly told reporters on Jan. 10.