President Joe Biden will deliver his farewell address on Wednesday as he prepares to pass the reins to incoming president Donald Trump.
The 82-year-old leader, who has been in the White House for four years, will speak to the nation from the Oval Office one last time as he attempts to cement his legacy as the 46th president of the United States.
Despite some legislative successes since 2021, Mr Biden has faced intense criticism through the end of his tenure and low approval ratings, culminating in his stepping down from the presidential race before the 2024 election.
His successor, Kamala Harris, failed to beat the twice-impeached convicted felon running on the Republican ticket, slashing hopes of another Democratic presidency.
As the US and the rest of the world brace for the return of an emboldened Mr Trump, his predecessor is now preparing to step away from a 50-year career in politics.
Mr Biden’s departing speech will be aired on US channels from 8pm ET, which will be 1am on Thursday for audiences in the UK.
The outgoing president’s administration hasn’t released any information about what Mr Biden plans to say in his address, but it may include remarks about some of his legislative wins and efforts to run a transformative presidency.
In a statement released by the White House on Wednesday morning, a letter written by Mr Biden reflects on creating a record 16.6 million jobs and building the “strongest economy in the world.”
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The statement also talks about the administration’s work in lowering the cost of prescription drugs, delivering more health insurance and reducing America’s violent crime rate.
However, the letter also urges Americans to uphold ‘life, liberty and happiness,’ amid concern that the ‘soul of America’ was still at risk.
“I ran for president because I believed that the soul of America was at stake,” he wrote. “The very nature of who we are was at stake. And, that’s still the case.”
The letter continued: “America is an idea stronger than any army and larger than any ocean. It’s the most powerful idea in the history of the world. That idea is that we are all created equal, endowed by our Creator with certain unalienable rights, among them life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. We’ve never fully lived up to this sacred idea, but we’ve never walked away from it either. And I do not believe the American people will walk away from it now.”
In a final call for unity among an increasingly polarised and divided nation, Mr Biden signed off his letter: “History is in your hands.
“The power is in your hands. The idea of America lies in your hands. We just have to keep the faith and remember who we are. We are the United States of America, and there is simply nothing beyond our capacity when we do it together.”
It is understood that Mr Biden will join other former US leaders at the upcoming inauguration event on January 20, when Mr Trump is handed the keys to the White House yet again.
