A previously unreported phone call took place between the two men during the Thanksgiving holiday.
According to NBC News, citing two sources familiar with the conversation, US President Joe Biden and President-elect Donald Trump spoke by phone last week. This marked their first direct communication since Trump’s White House visit on November 13th.
The call, reportedly initiated by President-elect Trump, was brief and consisted mainly of Thanksgiving greetings. NBC described the conversation as “not substantive.”
Biden chose not to seek re-election earlier this year after a poor debate performance against Trump. Trump subsequently won the November election in a decisive victory over Vice President Kamala Harris.
Following the election results, the two men met at the White House, shaking hands before cameras. Biden expressed his hope for a “peaceful transition,” to which Trump responded that the transition would be “smooth as you can get.”
Both Democrats and Republicans have engaged in frequent accusations of inflammatory rhetoric and personal attacks. Trump has previously referred to Biden as an “enemy of the state,” a weak and internationally disrespected leader, and incompetent to serve as president.
In response, Biden has characterized Trump supporters as “garbage,” and accused Trump of attempting to seize power through “political violence,” drawing parallels to “Nazi Germany” and portraying him as a threat to American democracy.
After his 2020 election loss, Trump declined the customary White House invitation and also skipped Biden’s 2021 inauguration, marking the first such absence by an outgoing president in over a century and a half.
Trump’s inauguration is scheduled for January 20th. Prior to the election, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre stated that Biden intended to attend the ceremony regardless of the election outcome.
Joe and Jill Biden celebrated Thanksgiving in Nantucket, Massachusetts, with family, including Hunter and Ashley Biden.
President Biden recently pardoned Hunter Biden for past federal crimes, including offenses committed since 2014. The broad scope of the pardon has drawn criticism from Trump and members of Biden’s own party.