Biden, Trump pledge peaceful transfer of power in January

U.S. President-elect Donald Trump returned triumphantly to Washington on Wednesday, pledging a smooth transition of power in January as he met for two hours at the White House with his longtime political rival, President Joe Biden.

“It was a substantive meeting,” White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters. “They discussed important national security and domestic policy issues facing the nation and the world.”

Biden invited Trump for the traditional visit — a show of the coming Jan. 20 peaceful transfer of power in American democracy between the current U.S. leader and the incoming chief executive. It was Trump’s first visit to the White House since his first presidential term ended in January 2021.

The two men sat in front of a roaring fireplace in the Oval Office ahead of their private talks and traded niceties in a peaceful tableau.

“I’m looking forward to having a smooth transition and we’re looking forward to talking about some of that today,” Biden said.

“Thank you very much,” Trump replied. “Politics is tough and in many cases it’s not a very nice world. It is a nice world today and I appreciate very much a transition so smooth — it will be as smooth as it can get — and I very much appreciate that, Joe. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” Biden responded.

First lady Jill Biden joined her husband in greeting the president-elect upon his arrival at the White House. The White House said she gave Trump a handwritten letter of congratulations for his wife, Melania, and expressed her team’s readiness to assist with the transition.

The former first lady, who lived in the White House from 2017 to 2021 during her husband’s first presidency, did not accompany him to Washington and has not indicated whether she plans to move into the White House again when he takes office.

Biden, a Democrat, had sought to defeat Trump, a Republican, for a second time in the Nov. 5 election, but ended his campaign in July after faltering badly in a debate against Trump. Biden quickly endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris to succeed him, but Trump swept through seven political battleground states in the election and easily defeated her.

When Biden defeated Trump in 2020, Trump offered no White House invitation to meet him ahead of the inauguration and left Washington two hours before Biden’s swearing-in on the steps of the U.S. Capitol.

Trump, who to this day claims falsely that he was cheated out of winning the 2020 election by vote fraud, was the first president to not witness his successor’s inauguration since Andrew Johnson skipped the swearing-in of Ulysses S. Grant in 1869. Biden has said he plans to attend Trump’s inauguration.

President-elect Donald Trump speaks as he arrives for a meeting with the House Republican conference, in Washington, Nov. 13, 2024.

Trump also met with Republican lawmakers in the House of Representatives. Republicans hold a narrow majority in the chamber in the current Congress and are nearing a slight majority control in the Congress set to be sworn in Jan. 3, but the outcome of more than a dozen House elections remains uncertain.

Trump has moved quickly to fill his nascent administration with Republican officials who have been the most politically loyal to him in the four years he has been out of office.

In his latest announcements Wednesday, Trump named Florida Senator Marco Rubio as secretary of state, the country’s top diplomat; Florida Representative Matt Gaetz as attorney general, the top law enforcement position in the government, and Tulsi Gabbard, a former Hawaii Democratic congresswoman turned Republican advocate for the president-elect, as director of national intelligence.

On Tuesday, Trump named Pete Hegseth, a Fox News host and a veteran of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, to be his next defense secretary.

The choice of Hegseth was outside the norm of those usually named as the Pentagon leader. But he was a vocal supporter of Trump during his first term, embracing his “America First” agenda of trying to withdraw U.S. troops from abroad and often taking up the cause of combat veterans accused of war crimes.

Trump has also announced South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem as his choice for Homeland Security chief and picked John Ratcliffe as the director of the Central Intelligence Agency.

Both Rubio and Noem were on Trump’s short list of possible vice presidential running mates several months ago. While Trump later picked first-term Ohio Senator JD Vance, now the vice president-elect, to join him on the Republican national ticket, both Rubio and Noem remained Trump stalwarts as he won the election.

Ratcliffe was the nation’s sixth director of national intelligence, serving for the last eight months of the Trump administration after a rocky confirmation process.

Elon Musk, left, sits with Kelly Johnson, wife of House Speaker Mike Johnson, as President-elect Donald Trump speaks at a meeting of the House Republican conference, in Washington, Nov. 13, 2024.

Trump also announced that billionaire businessman Elon Musk and entrepreneur and former Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy will lead what Trump called the Department of Government Efficiency. The announcement said they would provide advice and guidance to “drive large-scale structural reform” of the federal government.

The acronym for the new agency, DOGE, is a nod to Musk’s favorite cryptocurrency, dogecoin.

Other notable picks by Trump include William McGinley as White House counsel, Florida congressman Michael Waltz as national security adviser and Thomas Homan, Trump’s former acting immigration chief, to be “border czar” to head efforts to deport undocumented migrants, possibly millions of them, who are living in the United States.

By Ken Bredemeier

AM Live

AM Live is NTV's morning current affairs show that sets the agenda for the day with insightful panels every weekday.

BNX

Business Redefined

Business Redefined is Kenya’s premier thought leadership platform for unpacking matters regarding economic and finance policy as well demystifying complex developments in the region’s capital markets.

Comedies

A collection of our premium content. Diam curabitur vehicula A collection of our premium content. Diam curabitur vehicula

Documentaries

A collection of our premium content. Diam curabitur vehicula A collection of our premium content. Diam curabitur vehicula

Entertainment

A collection of our premium content. Diam curabitur vehicula A collection of our premium content. Diam curabitur vehicula

Full Episodes

A collection of our premium content. Diam curabitur vehicula A collection of our premium content. Diam curabitur vehicula

Gumzo La Sato

Gumzo La Sato is a live social issues show that aims to create awareness about issues affecting the larger society. The discussions range from Parenting, Marital bliss and struggles, Oppression, violence, and all matters of the Heart.

Health Diary

Health Diary is a weekly show that highlights different types of diseases/conditions and seeks ways to prevent, treat/manage them. The show debunks this through real life stories and also feature specialists in different fields, to offer medical advice on the same.

Letter To My Younger Self

Letter To My Younger Self is a podcast where guests get to write a letter to their younger self, from which Maxine formulates questions to ask them during the hour-long show.

Mazao Talks

Mazao looks at agriculture and agribusiness

Nation Reports

Nation Reports is a weekly podcast offers an opportunity for listeners to interact with various reporters and journey with them as they unravel the biggest most emotive stories.

One Health Lens Podcast

Discussing health matters and human stories from Kenya and across Africa. We talk big picture from people to policy, ecosystems, and everything in between. Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/onehealthlens

Paradise Lost

Paradise Lost peeks through the story of Louis Otieno, the times, and everything in between.

Podcasts

Podcasts

Primetime

A collection of our premium content. Diam curabitur vehicula A collection of our premium content. Diam curabitur vehicula

Speaking of GEN Z

Speaking of Gen Z brings you entertaining but meaningful conversations about a generation that is trying to navigate through adulthood. Join hosts Michelle, Jackie and Esther as they unravel all things Gen Z.

Sport On

Sport-On is a 30-minute sports magazine show on NTV and 3 hours on NATION FM. The show seeks to give the sports “fanatics” and “funatics” comprehensive and in-depth coverage of sports both locally and internationally.

Tech-over

The extent of technological growth is beyond mere acknowledgment; it has seamlessly integrated into our daily existence. A few years ago, the notion of paying electricity bills through mobile money or recharging with 'tokens' in Kenya seemed inconceivable. Online product sales were considered distant, and artificial intelligence is rapidly reshaping various facets of our lives. Amidst these technological leaps, those with a solid understanding of tech can navigate challenges, seize opportunities, and build a sustainable livelihood. Tech over Show aims to be the platform facilitating discussions among thought leaders, innovators, tech companies, and the government, addressing challenges and opportunities in Kenya's thriving tech industry.

Thamani

Thamani is a business show which is dedicated to emerging issues regarding micro, small and medium size businesses.

The Politalk podcast

This is The Politalk podcast. Here we look into the ins and outs of everything Kenyan politics. We pull no punches and have no reason to sugarcoat anything that matters to Kenyans.

The Trend

A two-hour-long live show that airs on Fridays. The show focuses on what is current in the entertainment industry, controversial and popular across all media platforms targeting those aged between 25 and 35 years.

The trend podcast

The trend podcast highlights and captures the best of banter from #TTTT segment that airs every Friday on NTV. It's the TTTT EXTRA

The Wicked Edition

The Wicked Edition with Dr. King’ori seeks to address serious issues through humour and relatable wit. It is a two-part half hour show filmed in front of a live audience

Trending

A collection of our premium content. Diam curabitur vehicula A collection of our premium content. Diam curabitur vehicula

Twende

Twende is a travel show that highlights beautiful, unique, diverse locations, people, and cultures. The show offers fresh perspectives on familiar locations and memorable experiences in new ones.

Unscripted

This Saturday evening lifestyle show lets viewers share their stories and life experiences as openly & honestly for the purpose of shifting the culture of silence.

VIP Access

VIP ACCESS is Anyiko Owoko’s YouTube and podcast show on Music and Culture dedicated to promoting Africa’s most promising talent and creatives. This podcast grants you VIP access into timeless interviews while providing a platform for rising as well as established artists across the continent. Since launching in 2018, Anyiko has interviewed over 70 African music stars.

WADR

This weekly news show aims to have all sides of debate but not be constrained by it, listen to main voices in the contest but not allow them to hold the viewers hostage, entertain debate but allow push back with all due respect.

When death do us part

In this podcast, three widowers openly speak about the process of grief, how they found themselves exposed to the emotional turmoil of losing their wives, and how society still does not know how to deal with them.

Your World

Your World is a health, wellness and variety show. It provides a platform for audiences and experts to share their experiences on how to improve or manage health issues, across Kenya and the Africa region.