President-elect Donald Trump and President Joe Biden had a “very cordial, very gracious and substantive” meeting in the Oval Office, White House spokesperson Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters on Wednesday.
The longtime political rivals met for the first time since Trump won back the White House last week and both promised a smooth transfer of power in January. The meeting ended after roughly two hours, Jean-Pierre said.
Biden said that support for Ukraine was in the United States’ national security interest because a strong and stable Europe would keep America from being dragged into war, White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan told reporters. Trump has pledged to end the Russia-Ukraine war quickly without explaining how.
The traditional courtesy of welcoming the president-elect into the Oval Office is one that Trump did not extend when Biden won in 2020.
Trump made false claims of widespread fraud after losing the 2020 election to Biden. Asked whether the issue came up, Jean-Pierre said Biden’s goal was to “make sure that we move forward in this transition process, in a way that is respectful to the American people and to lead by example.”
During the meeting, Biden pushed his priorities for Congress’ lame-duck session, including funding the government and providing additional funds for disaster relief, Jean-Pierre said. Biden’s chief of staff, Jeff Zients, and Trump’s, Susie Wiles, attended the meeting.