Biden leaves office and Washington after 50 years but says 'we're not leaving the fight'

WASHINGTON — 

Joe Biden connected Monday wrapped up a much than 50-year governmental career, but promised that “we're not leaving the fight,” arsenic helium bid farewell to the presidency and flew to California to unwind with his household and easiness backmost into backstage life.

Biden spoke not agelong aft watching his successor, Republican President Donald Trump, pledge during his inaugural address to "completely and wholly reverse” everything that his Democratic predecessor did.

In the last hours earlier the noontime transportation of enforcement power, Biden extended courtesies to the antheral helium had turned retired of the Oval Office 4 years ago. Trump denied losing the 2020 predetermination and refused to connection akin niceties to Biden upon his inauguration successful 2021.

The bitter acold time opened with Biden and his wife, Jill, receiving Trump, and his wife, Melania, for a accepted Inauguration Day meet-and-greet implicit beverage astatine the White House.

“Welcome home,” Biden told Trump.

Afterward, the rivals, who stock a past of governmental animosity, rode successful a limousine to the Capitol wherever Trump was sworn successful arsenic the 47th president.

“Our caller predetermination is simply a mandate to wholly and wholly reverse a horrible betrayal," Trump said astir the enactment of the Biden administration. Biden sat expressionless successful the beforehand row.

As Trump gave his address, the residence unit astatine the White House got to enactment clearing out the remainder of Biden's belongings truthful they could determination Trump and his family backmost in. The enactment of turning implicit the White House includes redecorating the Oval Office.

Walls successful the property offices that were bare successful the greeting aft astir of the unit had ended their authorities work were decorated by midafternoon with caller photographs of Trump.

After Trump's address, the caller president and his woman walked the Bidens extracurricular to a Marine chopper that had been waiting connected the Capitol grounds to alert them to Joint Base Andrews for a farewell lawsuit with his staff.

“We couldn't person done thing we did without you," Biden told those who worked for his medication successful the White House. “No president gets to take the infinitesimal they participate history, but they get to take the squad they participate past with, and we chose the champion damn squad successful the world."

Even though they whitethorn consciousness “knocked down” by the crook of events, helium said what was important was however rapidly they get backmost up.

“We're leaving office. We're not leaving the fight,” Biden said, urging them to enactment engaged.

And helium appeared to gag astir Trump's speech, chuckling arsenic helium said, “we heard the inaugural code today. We got a batch much to do.” Biden past made the motion of the transverse and everyone laughed.

He and the archetypal woman past walked crossed the tarmac to the acquainted blue-and-white Air Force level helium flew connected arsenic president for the formation to Santa Ynez, California.