Biden leaves office and Washington after 50 years but says ‘we’re not leaving the fight’

WASHINGTON (AP) — Joe Biden on Monday wrapped up a more than 50-year political career, but promised that “we’re not leaving the fight,” as he bid farewell to the presidency and flew to California to unwind with his family and ease back into private life.

Biden spoke not long after watching his successor, Republican President Donald Trump, pledge during his inaugural address to “completely and totally reverse” everything that his Democratic predecessor did.

In the final hours before the noontime transfer of executive power, Biden extended courtesies to the man he had turned out of the Oval Office four years ago. Trump denied losing the 2020 election and refused to offer similar niceties to Biden upon his inauguration in 2021.

The bitter cold day opened with Biden and his wife, Jill, receiving Trump, and his wife, Melania, for a traditional Inauguration Day meet-and-greet over tea at the White House.

“Welcome home,” Biden told Trump.

Afterward, the rivals who share a history of political animosity rode in a limousine to the Capitol where Trump was sworn in as the 47th president.

“Our recent election is a mandate to completely and totally reverse a horrible betrayal,” Trump said about the work of the Biden administration. Biden sat expressionless in the front row.

As Trump gave his address, the residence staff at the White House got to work clearing out the remainder of Biden’s belongings so they could move Trump and his family back in. The work of turning over the White House includes redecorating the Oval Office.

Walls in the press offices that were bare in the morning after most of the staff had ended their government service were decorated by midafternoon with fresh photographs of Trump.

After Trump’s address, the new president and his wife walked the Bidens outside to a Marine helicopter that had been waiting on the Capitol grounds to fly them to Joint Base Andrews for a farewell event with his staff.

“We couldn’t have done anything we did without you,” Biden told them. “No president gets to choose the moment they enter history, but they get to choose the team they enter history with and we chose the best damn team in the world.”

Even though they may feel “knocked down” by the turn of events, he said what was important was how quickly they get back up.

“We’re leaving office. We’re not leaving the fight,” Biden said, urging them to stay engaged.

And he appeared to joke about Trump’s speech, chuckling as he said, “we heard the inaugural address today. We got a lot more to do.” Biden then made the sign of the cross and everyone laughed.

He and the first lady then walked across the tarmac to the familiar blue-and-white Air Force plane he flew on as president for the flight to Santa Ynez, California.

Darlene Superville, The Associated Press