Trump says Biden left him ‘inspirational-type’ letter
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US President Donald Trump said he felt he should let people see the letter because it was “a positive” for Mr Biden.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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WASHINGTON - US President Donald Trump on Jan 21 said former president Joe Biden left him a “nice” letter inside the Resolute Desk at the White House, continuing an inauguration day tradition.
Mr Trump told reporters he opened the letter on the evening of Jan 20 and was thinking of making it publicly available. He said Mr Biden advised him to enjoy his term and emphasised the importance of the role.
“It said, ‘To Number 47,’” Mr Trump said. “It was a very nice one... just basically a little bit of an inspirational-type letter. Enjoy it. Do a good job. Important, very important how important the job is.”
Mr Trump, who was inaugurated to his second term in the White House
Mr Trump found the handwritten letter in the desk on Jan 20 during a ceremony in the Oval Office after a journalist asked if he had received a message from Mr Biden.
He held it up for the cameras, showing a handwritten “47”, saying he would read it privately before deciding whether to release its contents.
Mr Trump, the first president since Grover Cleveland in the late 1800s to serve non-consecutive terms, left a letter for Mr Biden when he took office in January 2021. Mr Biden said it was a “very generous” letter, but never released it publicly.
Former president Ronald Reagan started the modern letter-writing tradition in 1989, leaving one for his Vice-President and successor, Mr George H.W. Bush, on stationery marked: “Don’t let the turkeys get you down.” REUTERS
