“That will not happen to you, because I know how much you love the American people,” Donald Trump wrote to Joe Biden in a 2021 letter, according to reporting by the New York Times.
The correspondence, which surfaced ahead of the publication of President Biden’s upcoming book, Promise Me, America, offers a stark contrast to the public hostility that has defined the relationship between the two men.
While Trump frequently attacks Biden on the social media platform Truth Social and during public appearances, the 2021 letter struck a notably conciliatory tone. Trump wrote that many presidents have come and gone without significantly shaping history, but he predicted that would not be the case for his successor. He further encouraged Biden to “stay true to yourself and the American people,” as cited by the New York Times.
Tensions in the White House
Trump has consistently refused to acknowledge the legitimacy of the 2020 election results. Tensions reached a breaking point on January 6, 2021, when a mob of Trump supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol in an attempt to block the certification of Biden’s victory.
In recent months, Trump has used the White House gallery of presidential portraits to signal his continued disdain for the current administration. During tours for foreign dignitaries, he has displayed an image of an Autopen—a machine used for signing documents—in the location where Biden’s official portrait should hang.
According to reporting by Blick, this gesture serves as a recurring jab at Trump’s claims regarding Biden’s mental fitness for office.
A Surprise for the President
The contrast between Trump’s public rhetoric and his private correspondence has left Biden surprised, as reported by The Atlantic. In an excerpt from his book published by The Atlantic, Biden recounts hosting Trump at the White House following the election.
Despite the vitriol Trump directed at him throughout the campaign, Biden said that the former president was “so gracious” during their meeting that he initially suspected he was being mocked.
🇺🇸 Biden reportedly reveals in his forthcoming memoir the private letter Trump left him before leaving the White House in 2021. Just two weeks after January 6, Trump privately told Biden: “You now have the opportunity to choose your place in history, and I know you will be true… pic.twitter.com/3oDv4fsOkG”
Questions About Trump's Autopen Image and the 2021 Letter
Why did Trump display an Autopen image instead of a portrait?
Trump uses the image to suggest that President Biden was not mentally capable of performing his official duties, implying that his signature was applied by a machine rather than by the president himself, as reported by Blick.
What was the tone of the 2021 letter?
The letter was characterized by a conciliatory and respectful tone, with Trump expressing a belief that Biden would leave a significant mark on history because of his love for the American people.
How did Biden react to the 2024 White House meeting?
According to The Atlantic, Biden found Trump’s demeanor during their transition meeting to be unexpectedly friendly, leading him to briefly wonder if the former president was playing a joke on him.
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