President Joe Biden is set to deliver a farewell address to the nation on Wednesday night, seizing his final opportunity to influence public perception of his presidency before leaving the White House.
The speech, scheduled for 8 p.m. ET from the Oval Office, marks the latest in a series of remarks on both domestic and foreign policy, aimed at solidifying his legacy.
Earlier in the day, he celebrated a long-awaited ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, which could bring an end to over a year of conflict in the Middle East.
However, Biden’s departure from the White House is not how he envisioned. Initially, he sought reelection despite concerns over his age, but after a challenging debate with Republican Donald Trump, Biden withdrew under pressure from his party. He endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris, who ultimately lost to Trump in November. Now, Biden is preparing to transfer power to someone he has described as a threat to the nation’s democratic values.
In an open letter released Wednesday morning, Biden acknowledged that some of his promises had gone unmet. “I ran for president because I believed that the soul of America was at stake,” Biden wrote. “The very nature of who we are was at stake. And that’s still the case.” He went on to highlight his achievements, including steering the country through the coronavirus pandemic, boosting domestic manufacturing, and reducing prescription drug costs.
Wednesday’s speech will not only mark the end of Biden’s presidency but also the conclusion of his five-decade political career. He was elected to the Senate at just 30 years old, representing Delaware in 1972. After two previous unsuccessful presidential runs in 1988 and 2008, Biden became vice president under Barack Obama. Following a period of political retirement, Biden made a surprising comeback as the Democratic nominee in 2020, defeating Trump to reclaim the White House.
“Nowhere else on Earth could a kid with a stutter from modest beginnings in Scranton, Pennsylvania, and Claymont, Delaware, one day sit behind the Resolute Desk in the Oval Office as President of the United States,” Biden wrote in his letter. “I have given my heart and my soul to our nation. And I have been blessed a million times in return with the love and support of the American people.”
