Trump reveals contents of Biden's letter to journalists

"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," reads Joe Biden's letter to Donald Trump, which the latter found in the Oval Office of the White House.

As the US president admitted, the letter was signed with the words, "Dear President Trump." At the end of the letter, it was signed "Joe Biden" and dated January 20, 2025.

Trump described the correspondence from Biden as a "very nice letter."

"It was a very nice letter. It was a little bit of an inspirational-type letter. Enjoy it, do a good job. Important, very important. How important the job is. It was a positive, for him, in writing it. I appreciated the letter," he said.

Tradition of US presidential correspondence

The tradition of US presidents leaving a letter for their successor began in 1989 when President Ronald Reagan left the White House after serving two terms, and former President George H.W. Bush took office.

This tradition has continued to this day, observed by presidents Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, Barack Obama, Donald Trump, and Joe Biden. Biden himself mentioned that Trump left him a "very nice letter" during the transition, though he has so far declined to disclose its contents, deeming it private.

Interestingly, Biden is the first US president to find himself in a unique situation — writing a letter to someone who is both his predecessor and successor.

It was previously reported that Joe Biden plans to write a letter to Donald Trump.