The burning subject of extreme wealth and power in America seemed to burn in the President’s heart as Joe Biden stood before the cameras in the Oval Office to give his last message as the President of the United States of America.
Without naming his successor, Donald Trump, directly, Biden expressed grave concerns over the concentrated power held by the ultra-wealthy, sharply alluding to faces like Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg.
“I want to warn the country of some things that give me great concern. And this is a dangerous concern. And that’s the dangerous concentration of power in the hands of a very few ultra-wealthy people. And the dangerous consequences if their abuse of power is left unchecked,” Biden stated.
“Today, an oligarchy is taking shape in America of extreme wealth, power, and influence that threatens our entire democracy, our basic rights, the freedoms, and the fair shot for everyone to get ahead.” He alluded to recent reports of billionaire advisers Musk and Zuckerberg meeting with Trump at Mar-a-Lago.
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During the 20-minute speech, Biden recounted his four decades of public service and the accomplishments of his presidency. He credited his administration for achieving a Gaza ceasefire and cleverly brushed off Trump’s credit. As he walked away, a journalist asked the Prez, “Who gets credit for this? You or Trump?”. Biden quickly replied, “Is that a joke?”
“It will take time to feel the full impact of all we’ve done together. But the seeds are planted, and they’ll grow and they’ll bloom for decades to come,” he said.
“I wish the incoming administration’s success because I want America to succeed. That’s why I have held my duty to ensure a peaceful and orderly transition of power, to ensure we lead by the power of our example,” he cautioned.
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Biden also took a moment to thank his family, Vice President Kamala Harris, and Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff, praising Harris as a “historic vice president.” His wife, Jill Biden, showed a warm gesture by holding Harris’ hand during the speech amidst rumours of tension between the two women.
“It’s been the highest honor of my life to lead you as commander in chief… My eternal thanks to you, the American people,” Biden stated.
