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Washington, DC, US
The United States President-elect Donald Trump and incumbent President Joe Biden met at the White House's Oval Office on Wednesday (Nov 13) for a transition meeting following the Republican's election win last week, where he defeated Democratic candidate Kamala Harris.
During the meeting, Biden told Trump that he looks forward to a “smooth transition” in January, adding that he will “make sure” his predecessor as well as his soon-to-be successor is accommodated as he retakes the White House in January.
“Well, Mr. President-elect, former president, Donald,” Biden said as Trump sat next to him in the Oval Office. “Congratulations.”
Trump responded, “Politics is tough, and it’s, in many cases, not a very nice world, but it is a nice world today, and I appreciate it very much.”
"I appreciate very much a transition that's so smooth, it'll be as smooth as it can get," Trump said.
The Democratic incumbent and his Republican soon-to-be successor were seen shaking hands after that.
Watch | Donald Trump Begins Shaping His Administration
This comes after Biden invited Trump to the meeting, honouring the decades-old tradition in which the outgoing president hosts the incoming one. It reflects respect towards the succeeding president, which was not shown by Trump when he lost the elections in 2020.
This is happening four years after Trump contested the results of the 2020 presidential election which Biden won.
This meeting at the White House marks another victory for Trump, who has returned there for the first time since he left early on the morning of Biden's inauguration in January 2021.
Before arriving at the White House, Trump flirted with the idea of running for the Oval Office for an unprecedented third term.
News agency AFP cited Trump's address to House Republicans ahead of the beginning of his second term, in which the GOP leader allegedly said he was open to a Constitution-breaking third term.
(With inputs from agencies)