Key lines from President Joe Biden’s farewell address

Key lines from President Joe Biden’s farewell address



CNN

After four years in the White House – and half a century in Washington – President Joe Biden has said goodbye.

Sitting behind the Resolute Desk on Wednesday night, he used a 19-minute address to shape his four-year presidency on his own terms — and to appeal for policies that he believes are quickly disappearing.

By using the Oval Office one final time and commandeering the network’s airwaves, Biden defined his legacy as one of reconstruction and transformation. But unlike some of his recent speeches, he didn’t use the moment to recite a long list of his accomplishments.

Instead, Biden used most of his time to issue a final warning about the path he believed the nation would take. He warned that the institutions he has revered for more than 50 years could be undermined.

Outgoing US President Joe Biden delivers a farewell address to the nation in the Oval Office at the White House.

Here are some key lines from Biden’s final address to the American people as president.

Biden warned of a developing “oligarchy” in America and stressed the importance of holding the super-rich to the same expectations as working and middle-class citizens.

“I would like to warn the country about some things that worry me greatly. And that is a dangerous worry. And that is the dangerous concentration of power in the hands of a few super-rich people,” Biden said.

He added: “Today, an oligarchy of extreme wealth, power and influence is taking shape in America, threatening literally our entire democracy, our fundamental rights and freedoms and offering everyone a fair chance to get ahead.”

He didn’t name the subjects of his warning, but his targets seemed clear: Donald Trump and Elon Musk, the world’s richest man, who will soon have a clear line on the White House.

The president pointed to the concentration of power over a century ago in the hands of “robber barons” broken by antitrust practices, an issue that Biden has made a priority during his more than a century in office.

“They didn’t punish the rich. They simply forced the rich to follow the rules that everyone else had to follow. Workers wanted rights to earn their fair share,” Biden said. “They were bought into the deal, and it helped pave the way for us to build the largest middle class and the wealthiest century that any nation in the world has ever seen. “We have to do that again.”

Taken together, the warnings presented a challenge for the new president and his team to deliver on the campaign’s populist promises – which Biden and many Democrats see as empty.

Biden referenced social media as he reflected on the things on his mind as his presidency draws to a close.

“I am equally concerned about the potential rise of a technology industrial complex that could also pose real dangers to our country,” he said.

“Americans are being buried under an avalanche of misinformation and disinformation that enables abuse of power. The free press is crumbling, editors are disappearing,” he added.

“Social media is giving up on fact checking. The truth is stifled by lies spread for power and profit. We must hold social platforms accountable to protect our children, our families and our democracy itself from abuse of power,” he said.

US President Joe Biden delivers his farewell address to the nation in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC on January 15, 2025. (Photo by Mandel NGAN / POOL / AFP) (Photo by MANDEL NGAN/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

Biden during his farewell speech: “Today an oligarchy is taking shape in America”

Biden is immensely proud of the list of accomplishments he leaves behind and has said he doesn’t think he has received enough credit for them.

He went over many of them on Wednesday but decided not to elaborate on them in his final appearance before the American people.

Instead, he urged patience in assessing his record, suggesting that history may see him differently than the polls

“It will take time before we feel the full impact of what we have done together. But the seeds have been sown and they will continue to grow and bloom for decades to come,” he said during his farewell speech.

He listed some of the achievements, including lowering prescription drug prices for seniors, passing gun safety laws and helping veterans get health care.

Biden also praised foreign policy successes, noting how he has “strengthened NATO.”

“Ukraine is still free, and we are ahead of our competition with China and much more,” Biden said.

U.S. President Joe Biden delivers his farewell address to the nation in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC on January 15, 2025.

Artificial intelligence poses great risks and great opportunities, says Biden

Biden warned of the “profound opportunities and risks” associated with artificial intelligence.

“Artificial intelligence is the most consequential technology of our time, perhaps even of all time. Nothing offers more profound opportunities and risks for our economy and our security, our society, for humanity. Artificial intelligence even has the potential to help us answer my call and end cancer as we know it. But if there are no safeguards in place, AI could create new threats to our rights, our way of life, our privacy, the way we work and the protection of our nation,” he said.

Biden pushed to ensure that AI works for good and that America must lead the way in its development.

“In the age of AI, it is more important than ever that the people must govern. And as a land of freedom, America – not China – must lead the world in AI development,” he added.

Biden opened his address by saying that he had thought a lot about who the American people are, referencing the symbol of the Statue of Liberty.

The nation, he said, is “constantly tested” and “we have overcome it all, in good times and in difficult times.”

Using the Statue of Liberty’s inner belt as a metaphor, Biden said “storms are always coming” that will bend but not destroy the nation’s foundations.

“I’ve been thinking a lot about who we are and perhaps more importantly, who we should be,” Biden said.

He went on to describe the construction of the Statue of Liberty in New York, a gift from France, saying, “Like the idea of ​​America itself, it was built not by one person but by many people from different backgrounds and from all around.” the world.”

“Like America, the Statue of Liberty does not stand still. Her foot literally steps forward on a broken chain of human bonds. It’s on the rise, and it’s literally moving. It was built to sway back and forth, to withstand the violence of stormy weather, and to stand the test of time. Because storms always come. She sways a few inches but never falls into the current below. A marvel of engineering,” he added.

It was an ode to the political world from which Biden emerged in the last century and which he believes is being replaced by Trump’s nationalist outlook.

Biden had a message for Americans on Wednesday as he prepared to leave office: Stay engaged.

“We have to stay engaged in the process. I know it’s frustrating. “A fair shot makes America America,” Biden said. “Everyone is entitled to a fair shot, not a guarantee, just a fair shot, a level playing field.”

The president said that “the concentration of power and weather” is creating divisions and could make people feel it is exhausting to participate in democracy.

He urged Americans not to give in to that feeling: “We must never lose the essential truth” that there is a fair chance, he said.

During his speech, Biden praised the democratic institutions that form the foundation of the United States of America.

The theme of democracy vs. autocracy has been the undercurrent of Biden’s presidency and his broader message to Americans. At a time of widespread dissatisfaction with government institutions, Biden said the system created by the Founding Fathers remains the best system of government.

“After 50 years at the center of all this, I know that believing in the idea of ​​America means respecting the institutions that govern a free society — the presidency, Congress, the courts, a free and independent press,” he said.

“Our system of separation of powers, mutual separation of powers. It may not be perfect, but it has sustained our democracy for nearly 250 years, longer than any other nation in history that has ever attempted such a bold experiment,” he added.

US President Joe Biden delivers his farewell address to the nation in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington.

Biden implores Americans to ‘stand guard’

Biden ended his farewell address on an optimistic note Wednesday, telling Americans he still believes in “the idea that this nation stands for.”

“To you, the American people, I give my word after 50 years of public service. I still believe in the idea that this nation stands for. A nation where the strength of our institutions and the character of our people matter and must endure,” he said.

After warning of a growing “oligarchy” and launching veiled attacks on his successor throughout his speech, Biden ended his address by asking Americans to advance his hopeful vision for the country.

“Now it’s your turn to keep watch. May you all be the keeper of the flame. May you keep the faith. I love America. You love it too. God bless you all. And may God protect our troops. Thank you for this great honor,” Biden said.

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