In his departure speech on Wednesday, President Joe Biden issued a number of dire warnings about the nation’s future, citing the emergence of a growing oligarchy as a threat to American democracy.
“Today, an oligarchy is taking shape in America of extreme wealth, power, and influence that literally threatens our entire democracy, our basic rights and freedoms, and a fair shot for everyone to get ahead,” Biden stated.
Delivered from the Oval Office, Biden’s remarks appeared to be directed specifically at Mark Zuckerberg, the CEO of Meta, and billionaire Elon Musk, who has supported President-elect Donald Trump since his election victory.
Additionally, Biden launched into a scathing attack on social media companies, claiming they are failing to fact-check.
“Fact-checking on social media is being abandoned. “Lies told for power and profit smother the truth,” Biden remarked, seemingly alluding to Meta’s decision to discontinue its fact-checking program.
The president referred to artificial intelligence as “the most consequential technology of our time” and cautioned about its possible dangers.
“Nothing offers more profound possibilities and risks for our economy and our security, our society,” he stated.
Furthermore, Biden maintained that in the absence of protections, AI would “spawn new threats to our rights, our way of life, to our privacy, how we work, and how we protect our nation.”
Biden’s argument that the Constitution has to be changed to “make clear that no president” is “immune from crimes that he or she commits while in office” also appeared to be a jab at his successor. Bipartisanship and strong support at the federal and state levels are necessary for a constitutional change, therefore it is unlikely to happen anytime soon.
Trump, who was twice impeached, indicted four times, and found guilty of the Manhattan charges, seems to be the subject of his remarks. The federal accusations against Trump were dropped after his election victory, and he has consistently said that he did nothing illegal. He entered a not guilty plea to all counts.
“A president’s power is not limited,” states Biden. “It’s not absolute, and it shouldn’t be.”
Additionally, Biden expressed his hope for the success of the upcoming Trump administration.
It goes beyond the final four years of his presidency. Karine Jean-Pierre, the press secretary for the White House, informed reporters on Wednesday that he was leaving his position.
As you can expect, the president has a lot to say and a lot of ideas to give that truly touch on the current situation, she continued.
Biden highlighted the portions of his speech that touched on what he considers his major achievements in a letter released on Wednesday that previewed his prime-time remarks. He cited investments in clean energy to combat climate change, lower prescription drug costs, and steady job creation.
“Powerful forces want to wield their unchecked influence to eliminate the steps we ve taken to tackle the climate crisis, to serve their own interest: for power and profit,” Biden stated in his address. “We must not be bullied into sacrificing the future, the future of our children and our grandchildren.”
He highlighted a recent ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas at the start of his goodbye speech, pointing out that the incoming Trump administration will be implementing much of it.
The deal, which was revealed Wednesday afternoon, would be a significant step forward in the long-running conflict that has plagued Biden’s administration and drawn criticism from within his own party if it is implemented this weekend as scheduled.
Biden made oblique allusions to Trump in both his letter and speech rather than mentioning him by name.
“I felt that America’s soul was on the line, so I decided to run for president. It was about the essence of who we are. And that remains true,” he wrote in the letter.
Biden has not yet provided details on his post-presidential plans.
According to three administration insiders, he and the first lady are to head straight to Central California for personal time after the inauguration. According to officials, the pair intends to remain in Santa Barbara County, although their plans may be impacted by the wildfires in Los Angeles.
In his speech, Biden described his role as president as “the highest honor of my life.”
“I still believe in the idea for which this nation stands, a nation where the strengths of our institutions and the character of our people matter and must endure,” Biden stated. It’s your turn to be on guard now. May the flame be kept alive by all of you. I hope you maintain your faith.
Last Thursday, a reporter questioned Biden about his post-presidential plans: would he be visible and invisible or would he speak out?
Biden answered, “I won’t be out of sight or out of mind.”