Biden says ‘soul of America’ at stake as Trump inauguration nears 

Outgoing United States President Joe Biden has said he believes the “soul of America” remains at stake, less than a week before Donald Trump is set to enter the White House for a second presidential term.

In a letter released on Wednesday morning, just hours before he is set to deliver a farewell address to the country, Biden urged Americans to come together.

“I ran for president because I believed that the soul of America was at stake. The very nature of who we are was at stake. And, that’s still the case,” he wrote.

“History is in your hands. The power is in your hands. The idea of America lies in your hands. 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.”

While Trump was not explicitly named in the letter, Biden and his Democratic Party allies have previously warned that the Republican president-elect — who will take office on Monday — poses a threat to democracy.

On January 6, 2021, a mob of Trump supporters stormed the US Capitol building in Washington, DC, to try to prevent Congress from certifying Biden’s 2020 election victory over his Republican rival.

Trump continues to falsely claim that the 2020 vote was rigged against him and has pledged to pardon those convicted for their actions during the January 6 riot.

Wednesday’s letter comes as Biden — who will address the country at 8pm (01:00 GMT on Thursday) from the White House — has sought to highlight what he sees as his administration’s successes over the past four years.

“I signed one of the most significant laws helping millions of veterans who were exposed to toxic materials and their families, as well as the most significant climate law ever and the first major gun safety law in nearly 30 years,” he said in the letter.

Earlier this week, Biden also delivered a wide-reaching foreign policy speech during which he touted his administration’s commitment to global alliances, among other things.

But the Democratic president also has been widely criticised for his handling of major global issues, including his unwavering support for Israel as the country has waged a deadly war on the Gaza Strip.

Amid reports that a Gaza ceasefire deal could be reached this week in the run-up to Trump’s inauguration, observers have said Biden for months failed to apply meaningful pressure on Israel to end its military offensive, including by conditioning US aid to the top ally.

The US provides Israel with at least $3.8bn in military assistance annually, and researchers at Brown University recently estimated that the Biden administration provided an additional $17.9bn since the Gaza war began in October 2023.

Biden’s time as president will also be marked by his decision last year to forgo a re-election campaign amid concerns about his age and ability to serve another term.

He was forced out of the White House race in July after a disastrous debate performance against Trump spurred widespread criticism, including from top Democrats.

Biden was replaced atop the Democratic presidential ticket by his Vice President Kamala Harris, who was resoundingly defeated by Trump in the November 5 election.

“All Joe Biden wanted was to be remembered for the great things he did for this country and, at least in the short run, they’ve been eclipsed by his ill-conceived decision to run,” David Axelrod, a former adviser to President Barack Obama, told the Reuters news agency.

“He became a historic president when he defeated Trump. So, obviously, the fact that Trump is resurgent and returning to power, more powerful than he was when he left, is an unhappy coda to the story.”